


Things Are Different Now

by elliot_ay_ (nikisamazing)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Adam Lives, Alternate Universe - High School, Cas/OC - Freeform, Dean/Lisa - Freeform, Destiel - Freeform, F/M, M/M, OC, Other, Slow Build, Slow Burn, but also not a normal high school fic fyi, dean/cas - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-06-05 11:00:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 78,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6702094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nikisamazing/pseuds/elliot_ay_
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean is fourteen, about to start high school in the only place they've stayed for more than a month, when John suddenly announces that they're leaving this small town. Dean and Sam are used to life on the road with their dad: the three of them, all the time. But how will things change when John leaves them with a little brother in Bobby Singer's house to train him and Karen, and then an angel appears and won't leave?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first time posting on AO3. I've been on FanFiction.net for a few years, and this fic is up there, but I think it will fit better here. I've written up to the seventh chapter, but I don't want to post it all in one go. Maybe over the next few days. Hope you enjoy it.

Dean is fourteen, about to start high school in the only place they've stayed for more than a month, when Dad suddenly announces that they're leaving this small town.  
  
"But why?" Sam repeats, stuffing his backpack full of comic books.  
  
Dean tosses his duffel at him. "It doesn't matter, Sam. We're leaving."  
  
"We need to go talk to someone in Windom," their father says.  
  
Dean scowls. "The last time you were in Windom, you got hurt and we had to stay longer while you were in the hospital."  
  
John Winchester scowls then. "Move everything to the Impala, boys. I'm going to go pay."  
  
"Yes, sir," they chorus.  
  
Dean shoulders his backpack, picks up his duffel, and takes the food box. "Finish up, Sammy."  
  
"Don't call me Sammy!" Sam yells after him.  
  
Dean puts the stuff in the car, his backpack in the front seat for later. Then he returns and gets his father's duffel and the hunting duffel.  
  
Sam follows him out this time, putting his things in the car and running back inside to fetch his coat and pillow. Sam always insists on lugging that damn pillow around.  
  
Dean watches as his brother gets comfortable in the sigil-covered car and then goes back into the room to do a last sweep. It turns up empty, and Dean is suddenly glad none of them has much of anything.  
  
Dean's father returns to the room then. "Empty?" he grunts.  
  
Dean nods. "Everything is in the car. How long of a drive?"  
  
"Better than usual," John replies, shrugging. "Eight, maybe nine hours. If we find anywhere deserted enough, I'll let you drive for a bit."  
  
Dean and his father exchange a nod and get into the car. Sammy is already curled up, snoring lightly.  
  
"Boy sleeps like a dog - anywhere and anytime," John grunts.  
  
Dean nods and leans his head on the window. He kind of liked this little town in South Dakota. It's not far from Bobby in Sioux Falls, and the kids in Ideal see so many people in-and-out that they like Dean and Sam well enough.  
  
John pulls out of the parking lot.  
  
//   
"I thought we were going to Windom," Dean says, turning the radio down.  
  
"We are. I just need to talk to Bobby," John answers. He turns down the driveway and parks the car.  
  
"Can Dean and I come in?" Sammy asks, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"Sure," John answers. "I'm sure Karen has some food you two can devour."  
  
The boys nod and climb out of the car. They run into the house and knock on the door. John follows, more slowly than the boys.  
  
Bobby answers and, when he sees the boys, grins and boosts Sam up. Dean grins and hugs the older man.  
  
"Bobby?" Karen calls. "Who's there?"  
  
"Dean and Sam!" Bobby calls back.  
  
Karen comes quickly to the door and hugs the boys, too. "Come on in and I'll feed y'all," she says, smiling.  
  
They grin and follow her.  
  
Bobby waits on the porch, leaning in the door. "Well, what do you need, John?"  
  
"We need to talk," John says, voice dark. "It's about Karen."  
  
Bobby stands from the door at that. "C'mon." He leads John to the barn and they sit on the workbench. "You'd better start talking."  
  
//   
Bobby sits back slightly. "You mean to tell me demons, and monsters, and gods, and angels are all real...and you drag your boys around to hunt them?"  
  
"Well, I don't have many other options," John snaps. "But yes. A demon killed Mary, and - well -" He sighs. "When I was tracking down a demon a few hunts ago, it mentioned something that bothered me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It said the name Karen."  
  
"There are tons -"  
  
"Of people named Karen, I know." John sighs again, more frustrated this time. "But there are rarely coincidences with demons, okay?"  
  
Bobby frowns and rubs at his stubble. "Well, what do you recommend I do?"  
  
"If the boys and I can stay here for a while, I can teach you everything you need to know to protect her, and I can have Dean salt and sigil the house." John crosses his arms and leans back.  
  
"Where's the but? There's a catch."  
  
"Four years ago I was in Windom," John says. "And I got hurt and was in the hospital. I met a nurse there and we slept together."  
  
"Please tell me -"  
  
"And she has a kid now." John clears his throat. "My kid. But she's sick, so I need to go get him and raise him now."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Can I leave Dean and Sam with you for two or so days while I go find Adam and get all the paperwork done?"  
  
Bobby stares at John. "You're a lucky son of a bitch," he says. "Sooner or later, one of your boys is going to do something stupid looking for your approval."  
  
"I'm doing my best, Bobby!"  
  
"Go get your kid," Bobby says. "Karen loves the boys." Then he gets up and goes back to the house.  
  
John follows him, sighing. He gets the boys' stuff from the car and gives it to Bobby. "Thank you," he says.  
  
"Go," Bobby replies, and he watches as John drives off. Then he walks into the kitchen, where Dean is halfway out of his chair. "Relax, Dean. He's coming back soon."  
  
"He tricked us," Dean grumbles.  
  
"He has to do this," Bobby says, ruffling Sam's hair. "How's about you and me go work on that Chevy you've been eyeing?"  
  
"Yessir," Dean says, shoveling the last of his food into his mouth and following Bobby with a mumbled apology and thanks to Karen.  
  
Karen smiles at Sam and clears his and Dean's plates. "Can you help me with my knitting?" she asks.  
  
Sam gives her a suspicious look but then follows her to the den.  
  
Dean ruffles Sam’s hair and sits next to him at the table, hair wet and shirt tucked. Bobby had faced the same order to wash up and they had both sighed and gone to shower.  
  
Now Sam smiles widely at Dean. “Karen taught me how to knit,” he announces. “I started making a hat,” he adds.  
  
“That’s great, Sammy,” Dean says, looking longingly at the food on his plate.  
  
“Wait for Bobby,” Karen says, slapping his hand lightly.  
  
Dean sighs and slumps back. “I’m hungry,” he says. “Bobby and I spent all day working on the car.”  
  
“Well, in a few days, you won’t have to worry about that - you’ll be starting high school,” Karen reminds him gently.  
  
He scowls further. “When is Dad coming back?” he asks. “He’s been gone for two days.”  
  
Karen sighs and shakes her head. “I don’t know, Dean.”  
  
Dean sighs again. “I’m sorry,” he says. “You and Bobby do so much -”  
  
She leans over and kisses his head. “You’re like our own, Dean,” she says. “We love you and Sammy. And we’ll love -”  
  
Bobby clears his throat as he sits, having heard what Karen was going to say, and shakes his head.  
  
“And we’ll love your children,” Karen finishes lamely. “You can eat now, Dean,” she adds.  
  
//   
Karen and Bobby do the dishes after dinner, and Dean hears hushed voices. “Hey, Sam,” he says softly, “why don’t you go put some cartoons on? Bobby has Nickelodeon.”  
  
Sam’s eyes light up, and he races to the living room.  
  
Dean, on the other hand, sneaks closer to where water splashes and voices float.  
  
“- didn’t tell Dean and Sam?”  
  
“He couldn’t. Sam wouldn’t understand, and Dean -” Bobby breaks off, and Dean can imagine him putting a hand to his forehead. “Look, we both know John can be a bit of an ass, okay? And he has that whole - thing with Mary. But he does love his boys, and he is trying his best.” Bobby hesitates. “And he’s going to help us with something important. To protect us.”  
  
“But he didn’t tell his own sons that they have another brother,” Karen protests, and there’s the sound of a cupboard being shut, hard.  
  
Bobby sighs. “John is a crazy son of a bitch,” he says.  
  
Dean sits back slightly. This is all news to him. A part of him wants to barge in there and proclaim his presence, his knowledge, but another part of him knows it might be wiser to wait to talk to Bobby.  
  
He walks in and takes a cup from the cupboard, filling it with juice. “So Dad wants us to teach you about hunting?” he says.  
  
Both of them whirl around. Dean never was good at doing the wise thing.  
  
“How much of that did you hear, boy?” Bobby demands. “Idjit,” he adds, frowning at the sponge.  
  
“Enough,” Dean says.  
  
The adults exchange a glance. “Dean -”  
  
“I’m not surprised,” Dean says. “I know my father as well as you do.” He scowls at his hands, already covered with scars. “And a demon killed my mother. You should want to protect what you have, Bobby.”  
  
Karen comes over to him and pulls him into a tight hug. “Everything will be okay, Dean,” she says, kissing his forehead for the second time that night.  
  
“I know,” Dean says. “I’ve been burnt, hit, cut, cursed, chased, stalked, and stabbed. This year.” He smiles. “But as long as Sam and I are alive and together, everything is okay.” He shrugs. “And the new one can be a part of that, too.”  
  
Karen hugs him harder. “Good boy. Now go spend some time with Sammy and get yourselves to bed early. Tomorrow morning we can go to the store and get ingredients for apple pie.”  
  
Dean’s face lights up and he leaves.  
  
//   
The rumble of the Impala has everyone on the porch in seconds. Sam grips Dean’s hand, and Bobby’s hand rests on Dean’s shoulder.  
  
John gets out, reaches over for a very stuffed duffel, closes the door, and opens the backseat door, helping a toddler out of the car. He leads the small one up the stairs and releases him at the top. “Dean, Sam, this is Adam. He’s your brother.”  
  
Neither one moves. Adam looks from John to the boys and back to John.  
  
The hand on Dean’s shoulder suddenly shoves him forward, and he picks Adam up. “I’m Dean,” he says quietly, “and that’s my little brother Sammy.”  
  
Adam squirms slightly and stays silent. Dean carries the small boy into the house.  
  
“Bobby, do you still have that crib of Sam’s?” John asks, walking into the kitchen, now with two duffel bags. Sam has stayed close to Dean’s hip.  
  
“It’s in the attic,” Bobby says. “You can go get it if you want.”  
  
Karen comes up to Sam and smooths his hair. “Sammy, do you want to help me get the spare room ready for you three boys?”  
  
“Where will Dad sleep?” Sam asks.  
  
“The porch,” Bobby says, getting a laugh out of Dean as he follows John to the attic.  
  
Karen chuckles, too. “Your dad will sleep on the couch when he’s here,” she says, shaking her head at Bobby.  
  
Dean and Sam follow her to the room across from Bobby and Karen’s. Karen opens the door and all three boys cough a little.  
  
“It’s a little dusty,” she admits, shaking a pillow off and watching as a cloud of dust floats down. “Maybe Bobby and Dean can work on cleaning up his junk room for Dean to move into in a little while.”  
  
Dean sets Adam down and both of the boys cling to his hands. “Karen, how long will we be here?” He winces. “Not that we don’t love you guys. It’s just - Dad never stays put long.”  
  
“Maybe you boys can stay here while your dad is gone on his trips,” Karen says. “Kids need stability, Dean.”  
  
He nods slowly.


	2. Chapter 2

“Dean! Sam!” Karen calls, sticking her head in their shared room. “Time to get up. School starts today.”  
  
Sam leaps out of bed, but Dean groans. Adam got up at the crack of dawn and yelled until Karen came and got him, so Dean has already been woken. Sam shakes Dean.  
  
“C’mon!” he says. “Get up, Dean.” Then he gets off the bed, opens the shades, and pulls on his jeans.  
  
Dean groans and drags himself out of bed. He finds his own jeans and pulls them on, grabbing his shirt and walking to the bathroom. There, he peers at his face, hoping for a few hairs and finding only slightly rough skin. He sighs, washes his face, brushes his teeth, and puts deodorant, followed by his shirt, on.  
  
“Morning,” he grunts at Bobby, who responds in kind. He sits at the table and grabs a few pancakes off the stack and some eggs from the pan. “Dad still gone?”  
  
“Yeah,” Bobby says. “You want me to drive you and Sam to school?”  
  
“But aren’t there separate schools? He’s in elementary school still,” Dean says, taking a sip of orange juice.  
  
“Not in Sioux Falls, you idjit,” Bobby says, laughing. “Town’s too small, boy. I can drive both of y’all and get you all signed up and everything. Karen already went to town with your supplies. Said John hadn’t gotten you none of the stuff you need. She even packed your lunches.” He shakes his head. “I shoulda had kids with her.”  
  
Dean nods. “Um, yeah. I guess you could…take us. I mean, we can do it on our own, too. We’ve done it before.”  
  
Bobby ruffles Dean’s hair. “I’m sure you have, boy.”  
  
Dean sits closest to the window in Bobby’s old truck. Sam sits in the middle, backpack on his lap. Bobby drives. Silence hangs over them, and even Sam knows not to talk too much.  
  
Bobby rounds a corner and the school comes into view. It isn’t big, but the sidewalk is crowded enough. Dean and Sam clamber out once Bobby has parked and Bobby walks them to the office.  
  
“Hey, Bobby,” says the woman at the desk.  
  
“Hey, Melissa,” Bobby says. “This is Dean and Sam. They’d like to enroll in school here.”  
  
“They got papers?”  
  
Dean and Sam pull the “school papers” folders out of their bags. Each folder is blue, fat, and worn. John makes them carry the folder around, just in case.  
Melissa thumbs through each folder. “You boys mind if I keep these a while?”  
  
They shake their heads.  
  
She frowns. “You’ve moved around a lot.” She looks up at Bobby. “Where are their parents?”  
  
“Our mother is dead and our father moves around a lot,” Sam says. “Bobby’s gonna take care of us for a while. And our little brother.”  
  
Melissa nods slowly and fills out a few sheets of paper, then printing something, and then handing two sheets of paper to Dean and one to Sam. “Dean, I printed your schedule - that’s this one, it has your locker number on it - and the other one is your proof of registration. Sam, this is your proof of registration. Elementary students stay one one classroom except for music, art, and PE. Dean, I trust - oh, Cas!”  
  
A short boy with messy black hair steps in. “Good morning, Ms. Delfin.”  
  
“Cas - Castiel - this is Dean Winchester. He’s a new student here, in your grade. Which homeroom are you in?”  
  
“Mr. Smith’s,” Castiel answers.  
  
“Good. Dean is also in Mr. Smith’s homeroom. Will you show him around a bit?”  
  
Cas smiles. “Of course, Ms. Delfin.”  
  
Bobby claps Dean on the shoulder and ruffles Sam’s hair. “I’ll pick you boys up after school.”  
  
“I can show Sam to his classroom, too,” Cas offers.  
  
The three walk into the hall. Dean looks down at his sheet of paper. “Can you help me find my locker, too?” he asks.  
  
Cas takes the sheet of paper. “Of course, Dean.”  
  
“Dude, that’s a little creepy,” Dean says.  
  
“Well, I am not my human, Jimmy Novak. I’m Castiel, an angel of the Lord. I’m just borrowing Jimmy for now.” Castiel smiles. “Your locker is next to mine, Dean.”  
  
“The worst part is that I believe you,” Dean grumbles. “Why are you here, Castiel?”  
  
“To protect you and Sam,” the angel says, smiling.  
  
“It’s kinda hard to take you seriously when you’re wearing a small fourteen-year-old.” Dean puts some of his books in his locker.  
  
“Sam, your classroom is really close. Dean and I will drop you off and and then head off,” Castiel says.  
  
Sam nods and the three of them head off. Sam hands the teacher his registration sheet, and Dean and the angel walk to their homeroom. Castiel stands next to Dean while he hands Mr. Smith his registration sheet and sits down.  
  
“Cas, where is everyone?” Dean says. “No way the homeroom is this small. There’s only - twelve people here!”  
  
“Well, there are four homerooms of about fifteen,” Castiel says calmly. “At least, for our grade.”  
  
“This school is tiny, isn’t it?”  
  
Cas nods. “Do not worry, Dean.”  
  
“Okay, everyone,” Mr. Smith says, curbing any lingering conversations. “My name is Mr. Smith, and I am an English teacher here. All of us except the Miller twins are here, so we should be okay. God knows when, or if, they’ll show up.”  
  
The class titters.  
  
Cas nudges Dean and says, “They are the class pranksters.”  
  
“I guessed,” Dean says.  
  
“I’ll be your homeroom teacher,” Mr. Smith continues. “Announcements will occur here. Sometimes I’ll have food, so you should show up.” He clears his throat. “Okay. Roll call, even though it’s a formality.” He looks at the list.  
  
Cas holds his hand out. “Can I see your schedule again? I’m going to make sure we’re in all of the same classes.”  
  
Dean rolls his eyes and hands the schedule over. “Cas, why do you need to protect me so much?”  
  
“Well, you and Sam will become very important in your twenties.” Cas hums a moment as he reads over the schedule. “You’re in surprisingly advanced classes given -”  
  
“I don’t wanna hear about my future, Cas,” Dean begs. “Just let me dream till I realize I gotta hunt with dad for the rest of my life.”  
  
Cas is silent a moment. “I switched my classes to match yours,” he says. “Why do you trust me so much, Dean? How do you know that I’m not a demon?”  
  
Dean frowns at the smaller boy. “I don’t know. There’s something - just something about you.”  
  
Cas smiles. “Do not worry, Dean. I’m no demon.” He frowns. “And why have you seen Playboy magazines? You’re fourteen.”  
  
Dean reddens. “Okay, now I definitely believe you’re an angel.”  
  
Cas stops at a door. “Our first class is math, Dean.”  
  
Dean sighs and drags the door open. “You’re killin’ me, Cas.”  
  
The boys make their way into the room and plop down in two seats in the relative middle of the small room. A girl next to Dean taps his arm. “Hey, you’re new here, right? Well, I’m Lisa.”  
  
Dean shakes her hand. “Dean. My brothers and I are staying with Bobby Singer.”  
  
She nods. “Well, it’s nice to meet you. Are you in tenth grade?”  
  
“No, ninth.”  
  
The kid in front of them turns around and gives Dean a quick once-over. “Dude, I’m in eleventh grade and I’m stuck in this class.”  
  
“That’s because you failed geometry in ninth grade, Georgie,” Lisa says, rolling her eyes.  
  
He grins. “Fair. But I was concussed from football.” He nods to Dean. “You play any?”  
  
“A little,” Dean says.  
  
“Come to tryouts after school,” he suggests. “Hey, Castiel,” he adds, almost as if Cas was an afterthought.  
  
“Hello, George,” Cas says.  
  
The teacher clears her throat. “Morning, class. I am Ms. Bailey. I teach trigonometry.” The class quiets down quickly. Ms. Bailey nods. “Good. Y’all know how scary I can be. Anyway, let’s do a roll call - it looks like we have a new student.” Ms. Bailey looks down at her sheet. “Sean? Bella? Michael?” She looks up, nods, and looks back down. “Castiel, Georgie, Mina?” She glances up again, nods, and looks back down. “Lilly, Sarah, Finn?” She makes a mark on her paper. “Lisa, Dean, Mary?” She looks back down at the sheet. “And Gracie, Alex, Zuko?” She clears her throat. “Good. We’re all here.” She gestures to Dean. “This is Dean, our new student.” She gives him a skeptical look. “You’re one of three freshman in this class, Dean. When did you take algebra?”  
  
“Seventh grade,” he mumbles.  
  
“Speak up, boy.”  
  
“Seventh grade.” He shifts in his seat.  
  
//  
“Well, I will see you tomorrow,” Dean says, hand on Sam’s shoulder.  
  
“Well - actually -”  
  
“What, Castiel?”  
  
“A place to stay would be appreciated.” Castiel smiles innocently. “I do not require food, but a bed might be nice.”  
  
“I’ll ask Bobby,” Dean grumbles, walking Sam towards the door.  
  
“And Dean,” Cas says, “what about tryouts?”  
  
Dean considers. “Can you take Sammy to Bobby?”  
  
Cas nods.  
  
//  
“How were tryouts, Dean?” Bobby asks, clapping him on the shoulder.  
  
“Good. We have a second round tomorrow and then they announce who made it.” Dean pauses. “You need any help with the ca-”  
  
“Oh, no you don’t, Dean,” Karen says. “You go do your homework.”  
  
“What about the sig-”  
  
“No. Do your homework,” Karen says firmly, pointing to the kitchen table.  
  
Dean sighs and sits next to Sam. Cas perches in another chair, offering an angelic smile.  
  
“Wanna help me out here, bud?” Dean asks.  
  
“I cannot do your work for you, Dean,” Cas says.  
  
Dean groans and pulls out his books. “Worthless angels,” he mutters.  
  
Cas smiles wider.  
  
Dean grumbles. He sets his pencil to the paper and begins to write.  
  
“Dean,” Bobby says, meandering into the kitchen, “are you done with your work yet?”  
  
“Yeah,” Dean says. “What’s up?”  
  
“You and Cas - can you start training me now?” Bobby asks.  
  
Dean and Cas meet eyes and nod. Dean fetches the weapons and Cas the books, holy water and salt, obviously. He mixes it with water to create a paste and Dean carefully lays each weapon out.  
  
Bobby looks at the things in front of him and then at the teenage boys in front of him. “Salt, water, and weapons?”  
  
“The salt will seal your house off to the demons,” Dean says. “Holy water burns them. The books have sigils to write on the ground to protect you.”  
  
“And demon traps,” Cas says, opening up a book to a certain page without touching it. He walks to the doorway and begins to doodle on the door and doorframe and ground with the salt paste and brush.  
  
“What’s he doing?”  
  
“Sigiling,” Dean says. “He’s drawing sigils in salt water, and he’ll do a line on the ground. Y’all shouldn’t mop without redrawing them.” He shrugs and points to the books. “Start reading.” Dean begins to polish a silver knife with symbols carved into it.  
“It’s in Latin,” Bobby says.  
  
“Oh.” Dean chuckles. “Yeah, I forgot. Cas, a translation?”  
  
Cas sighs. “Must I do everything around here?”  
  
Dean grins and takes the bag of rock salt to the doors and windows.  
  
//  
“Hey, Adam,” Dean says at dinner. “What did you do today?”  
  
“Played with Karen,” Adam replies. “Is Cassie gonna sleep with us again?”  
  
Dean, Bobby, and Cas exchange looks. “It depends,” Dean says.  
  
Adam sighs. “It’s so…”  
  
“Crowded?” Cas supplies.  
  
“Bobby has to clean that junk room up,” Karen says. “Then you two boys can share it.”  
  
“What about me?” Sam demands.  
  
“You’ll share with Adam still,” Dean says.  
  
“But -”  
  
“No buts.” Dean ruffles Sam’s hair. “When Dad gets back, maybe I can show you how to make bullets.” He glances at Karen and hastily adds, “Outside.”  
  
Sam smiles at his older brother, and Cas watches. Dean bumps his shoulder, and he smiles, too.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean and Sam squirm - Dean reduced to nearly the ball of energy Adam normally is - while they watch Bobby on the phone.

“Can I talk to him?” Dean asks.

“No, I want to!” Sam says, reaching out.

“You can, Sam,” Dean says, pulling back slightly.

Cas watches from a distance as he carves symbols - Enochian ones - into some of Bobby’s old hunting knives. He cannot hear him, but he knows what is happening.  
He glides over to the brothers, knives in hand. Dean nods to him without turning.

Dean and Cas have developed a sort of bond in the time they’ve both been here. Dean instantly clung to him, something Cas secretly enjoys. He knows this innocent teenager will eventually become much harder to deal with, but he hopes this turn of events might change that, and Dean might not only not hate him, but grow to enjoy being around him as much as Cas enjoys Dean.

Cas sets his hand on Dean’s shoulder. In the two and a half months they’ve been here, John has yet to be back. This is only the second time the boys have spoken to their father since he left them there. Bobby and Karen love Dean, Sam, and Adam, but each boy yearns for his missing parents. Cas thinks John should suck it up and take care of his boys, but he knows Bobby and Karen do a better job than John would, probably.

Sam’s face lights up as he talks to his father. Dean looks to Bobby. “Is he coming home?” Dean asks.

Bobby smiles and nods. “He’s driving back tomorrow night, Dean. He should be here by Wednesday.”

Dean grins and turns to look at Cas. “He can come see the last game!”

Cas keeps his face carefully neutral. “Dean -”

Dean sighs, and his back slouches again. “I know, Cas.”

Bobby claps Dean’s shoulder. “Karen, Sam, Cas, Adam and I will all be there, you idjit,” he says.

Dean nods. “I know.”

Bobby turns to Sam. “Give your brother the phone, now.”

Dean takes it and smiles slightly as his father begins telling him a story about a hunt.

Cas knows already how great the difference between this Dean and the Dean Sam talked about in the old future. Personally, Cas prefers the Dean that hasn’t become jaded, over-confident, and egotistical.

Dean hangs up the phone. “He won’t be here for the game,” he says, looking at Bobby.

“Hey, how do you know?” Bobby says, ruffling Dean’s hair (which is in dire need of a haircut).

“He evaded me when I asked about it,” Dean answers. “I may be a freshman, but I’m not stupid, Bobby.” Dean crosses his arms. Everyone, even Cas, treats him like Sammy sometimes.

“We know, Dean,” Bobby says. “I’m just trying to -”

“Hey, what’s that sound?” Cas asks.

Dean listens and then runs to the door. “It’s the Impala! Dad’s here!”

Cas “zaps himself” to the front porch to watch Dean and Sam race to the Impala and hug their dad. Then Dean composes himself and shakes the man’s hand.

Bobby comes to stand behind Cas. “The boys adore him.”

“I know.”

“And he doesn’t realize that he’s going to drive them to do something stupid soon to please him.” Bobby shakes his head. “I just hope none of them gets killed.”  
Cas continues to watch as Dean and Sam talk animatedly to their father, occasionally gesturing at Cas, or the cars, or Bobby, or the house. Eventually Karen brings Adam out, who looks suspiciously at John and then reaches up for Dean to hold him.

John reaches out to take the small boy and then doesn’t.

Cas flies over to where they stand, taking Adam from Dean and whispering into his ear. Dean shakes his head.

“Dean, who is this?” John demands.

“That’s Cas,” Sam pipes up. “He’s our angel.”

“Your…what now?”

“Our angel.” Sam laughs. “Cas, show him.”

Cas sets Adam down and makes a boom of lightning so they can see a corporeal-ish form of his wings. Adam squeals in delight and runs into Cas’ arms again.

John has a knife to his neck in a moment. Cas nearly drops Adam, who starts crying pretty quickly.

Dean takes Adam from Cas. “Dad, he’s not a threat. He’s been helping with the sigils. In Enochian.”

“What have I told you about trusting other beings?” John demands.

Dean sighs. “Dad, he’s angel sent to protect Sam and I.”

Cas walks through the blade. His throat heals instantly, and he takes Adam back from Dean. “You cannot kill me, John Winchester,” he says.

“I can trap you and torture -”

“Dad!” Dean snaps. “Stop! Cas is not here to hurt us.” He turns and storms off into the house, pulling Cas with him.

Sammy runs to follow them.

Cas sees John walk towards the house, but Dean sets Adam in the kitchen and pulls Cas back to their shared room.

“I’m sorry, Cas,” Dean says, pacing back and forth. His hands tremble at his chest. “I didn’t know - I thought -”

Cas strides across the room and grabs Dean’s hands. “It’s okay, Dean.” He pulls the other boy into a hug. “It’s okay.”

//  
“Dad, can I go with you this time?” Dean begs. “It’s winter break and I’m bored. And Cas promised to show me his mojo.”

“It’s not mojo, Dean, it’s the Power of Heaven!” Cas yells from their room.

“It’s mojo!” Dean says. Cas zaps himself next to Dean.

John and Bobby make eye contact. John has been here for about a week, and he’s stayed for at least a few days since the first time he came home. Cas suspects it’s because of him, but whatever makes Dean, Sam, and Adam happy makes him happy, too.

“Well, this is a wendigo hunt,” John says slowly.

“Dad, c’mon. We’ve hunted wendigos before,” Dean says.

John nods slowly. “Okay. I guess.”

Dean breaks out in a grin then. Cas shoves him lightly.

“Go pack, boys,” Bobby says, clapping Dean on the shoulder.

Dean pulls Cas to their shared room and pulls the duffels from beneath the bed, nearly throwing one at Cas.

Cas snaps his fingers and both duffels are neatly packed. Dean turns around and stares at him. “What?” he asks.

“You just mojo’d our bags into being packed, Cas.”

“You always forget clean underwear,” Cas says.

Dean shakes his head and punches Cas on the shoulder lightly. Then he picks both duffels up and carries them to the Impala. Cas gathers schoolwork for the both of them, books, and a pack of cards and then follows Dean to the Impala.

The two boys hop into the backseat. John raises an eyebrow. “No one wants to sit up front?”

Dead shakes his head. “I want to sit with Cas.”

John raises his eyebrows further but says nothing as he starts the car.

They start off the car ride playing card games - idiot, go fish, blackjack. Cas wins most of the time, and John watches in the mirror. He's never seen Dean let anyone win. But he watches as his son smiles when Cas’s hands fly into the air and he gets a win.

Then, after they put the cars away, Dean starts to fall asleep and eventually his head ends up on Cas’s shoulder. John watches this, too.

“You do not need to worry about that,” Cas says.

John stares at the boy. “I -”

“I’m inside your head, John.” Cas smiles. “I can hear your thoughts, and I’m projecting my own into your head. But you don’t need to worry about me doing anything to, or with, Dean.”

John’s stare turns into a slight glare. “Out of my head.”

Cas shrugs and looks to the boy next to him, leaning into Dean and dozing off himself.

//  
John pulls into the motel pretty late, so he’s surprised at Cas’s alertness. Dean is still asleep on Cas’s shoulder, but Cas looks around, checking for any possible dangers. To Dean.

“I’m going to go rent a room,” he grunts.

Cas nods, but his eyes never leave the surrounding parking lot, and his arm, thin and weak as it looks, never leaves Dean’s shoulders.

He shakes his head and gets out of the car.

“These boys? They’re hardly the size of my pinky!” The hunter looks over Cas. “In fact, that one may be smaller than my pinky.”

Cas smiles. “I have the Power of Heaven at my fingertips.”

The hunter gives Cas an uneasy glance. “Um, okay?”

“Cas is an angel,” Dean says.

“Oh.”

“Dean has come hunting with us before, Max,” John says, rubbing his temples. “He’s my son.”

Max grunts. “Okay.” He sets his bag down. “I think I know who its next victim will be.” He pulls out a map and starts talking to John, Cas and Dean listening carefully.

//  
“Dean!” Dad yells. Dean races towards the sound of his voice. He turns a corner and something smashes into him. He hits the wall and there’s a sickening crack. Then the fire erupts all over his chest, or at least that’s what it feels like.

“Dean!” Cas cries, and suddenly he’s at Dean’s side. The Wendigo races at them, and Cas turns slowly, eyes glowing blue, too blue. He reaches out and grabs the beast by the head. A burst of blue light erupts and the creature is gone. Then Cas turns back to Dean, who coughs, blood dribbling out of his mouth. “Dean,” he says. “Dean, what happened?”

“It threw me,” he grunts. “It hurts, Cas. Help me.”

Cas places his hands on Dean’s chest. “Shh, Dean. I’ll fix it. It’s okay.” His eyes glow once again, and Dean coughs once more and sits up, putting a hand to his head.  
“I’m sleepy,” he says, promptly falling back onto Cas.

Cas smiles and kisses Dean’s forehead, picking him up easily and zapping him back to the motel. He returns to the cave and finds an unconscious Max and John and zaps them back as well, though he doesn’t heal their injuries. He sits on the bed next to Dean and yawns suddenly, setting his head on Dean’s shoulder and drifting off to sleep.

//  
John wakes with a yell, and Cas and Dean jump to alertness. “Where am I?” John says, voice hoarse.

Cas stands up and approaches the older hunter, hands out. “The Wendigo knocked you and Max out,” he says. “It threw Dean into a wall and broke his ribs. I killed it and healed Dean. Then I brought him back here, and then I found you and Max and brought you back here.”

John rubs his temples. “Thank you, Castiel.”

“It’s my duty,” he says gravely.

Dean tries to stand and sits back on the bed quickly. Cas flashes over there and presses him back into the bed. “You are not fully healed yet, Dean. Stay in the bed.”  
“I’m fine, Cas,” Dean says, pushing Cas’ glowing hands away and trying to stand again.

Cas grabs him by the front of his shirt and pushes him back onto the bed, pressing his hand into Dean’s ribs again and finishing the healing.  
Dean reddens and stands, fully healed now.

John gives Cas a suspicious look. “Are you going to heal me?”

Cas looks over the man and raises an eyebrow. “My orders are to protect the boys, not you, John Winchester. I have no obligation to heal you.”

John grits his teeth but says nothing. Dean looks away, willing to meet neither his father nor Cas’ eyes.

“Dean, if you would like, I can take you home to Bobby and Karen’s,” Cas offers softly.

Dean nods. “My ribs still hurt a little,” he admits. He looks away from Cas again. “Thank you.”

Cas touches Dean’s temple, and suddenly he’s in his bed in Bobby and Karen’s house. “Sleep now, Dean,” he says, pressing two fingers to Dean’s temple again. He pops into Karen and Bobby’s kitchen.

“Cas!” Bobby says, jumping. “What are you doing here?”

“I brought Dean back from the hunt,” he says. “He was injured. I healed him and put him to sleep.”

“What happened?”

“A Wendigo,” Cas says, scowling. Then a small weight comes barrelling into him.

“Cas!” Sam yells. “Where’s Dean?”

“He’s sleeping in our room,” Cas says.

“Where’s Dad?”

“Still at the motel,” answers Cas. “I left him here.”

Sam stares at him. “Will you bring him back now?”

“He has to drive the Impala back,” Cas says. “But I’m going to go tell him where Dean is now.” And he vanishes.


	4. Chapter 4

Dean shuffles down to breakfast, dressed in jeans and an old flannel. Cas is seated at the table with Sam and Adam. Bobby leans against the counter, eating a bowl of cereal.

“Too much testosterone in this house,” Karen says, slamming a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice in front of Dean. Then she turns and walks to her and Bobby’s room, slamming the door there, too.

Dean doesn’t touch his food. “Why is she angry?” he asks.

“She was really worried about you, Dean.” Bobby sets his cereal down. “I don’t think she’s angry at you, just at your father.”

Dean looks at the ground. “Cas was there to protect me.”

“What if you didn’t have Cas, Dean? Your father should have either been there or not let you along. You could have died, Dean.” Bobby walks out, too.

Adam squirms out of his seat and crawls onto Dean’s lap. “I missed you,” he informs his older brother.

“Yeah, me too,” Dean says, but he’s not paying attention.

“Dean, what are we gonna do today?” Sam asks.

“I don’t know,” Dean says.

Cas finishes his cereal in one more gulp and sets his bowl in the sink. “Adam, Sam, let’s go brush our teeth and let Dean finish his breakfast.”

The boys obey, putting their bowls in the sink and following Cas.

Dean eats his cereal slowly and goes up to the bathroom to brush his teeth. “Sam, Adam, why don’t you go get Candyland out?” he says. “Cas and I will come in a minute.”

They put their toothbrushes in the cup by the sink and race down the stairs.

“Your voice is gruff,” Cas says. “What is wrong?”

Dean spits toothpaste out. “What was wrong with me, Cas?”

Cas cocks his head. “Hm?”

“When you fixed me,” Dean says, bracing his arms on the sink. He rinses his brush and sets it in the cup.

Cas takes a breath. “It was bad.”

“But how bad, Cas?” Dean grips the sink.

“All of your ribs were broken. Three of your vertebrae were cracked. One of your lungs was punctured by a rib. Your stomach had split, and so had your spleen.” Cas takes his hand and pulls him from the sink. “You were choking on your own blood.”

Dean turns the sink on and splashes water over his face and hair. “Fuck,” he hisses.

Cas stares at him. He’s never heard Dean swear, not yet, at least.

//

“Ah, man, you smoked me,” Dean says, ruffling Adam’s hair. The tot lights up, launching himself at his brother, who lets them fall back to the floor and roll around a little bit.

Cas hears the low grumble of the Impala, but he is silent, allowing the boys a bit more time before their father interrupts everything. “I’m going to use the bathroom,” he says quietly, instead walking to Bobby’s library, where he and Karen speak quietly. “Bobby? Karen?”

“Yes, Cas?”

“I just thought I should let you know that John will be here in about two minutes,” Cas says.

Bobby takes off his hat and sighs. “I’m going to go talk to him before the boys,” he says, heading out of the room.

“I’m sorry, Karen,” Cas says, eyes down.

Karen hugs the angel. “It’s not your fault, Cas. And you did wonderfully. You protected him.”

“He never should have gotten hurt in the first place. I should have been there.”

Karen shakes her head. “No, John should never have let him go.” She releases him. “I’m going to go make sure the boys stay inside while John and Bobby talk.”

“Wait - Karen,” Cas says. “Dean and Sam have to go hunting with their father sometimes.”

“Why?”

“If they don’t, then their lives change,” Cas says. “This is about the time when Dean should go on most of his father’s hunting trips.”

“He’s just a boy,” Karen says.

“And this trip was bad,” Cas admits. “John never should have let this happen, but I am here to protect the Winchester brothers, and, by extension, you and Bobby.”

Karen ruffles Cas’ hair. “Okay. I still need to go stop the boys from going outside.” She leaves and Cas pops outside, hovering above John and Bobby.

“- goddamnit, John,” Bobby says.

“I’m fine,” John says.

“I’m not worried about you, you idiot,” Bobby spits. “Your son nearly died, you -”

“I was knocked out,” John says, slurring slightly. Cas can tell there's a slight concussion.

Cas drops to the ground, making both men jump.

“This conversation is not for your ears, Castiel,” Bobby says. “Go back inside.”

“No,” Cas says. “I want to tell John exactly what happened to Dean.” He puts together a hologram-like thing for John to see. It shows a body without skin - the organs and bones. Cas makes a fist, and all the ribs crack. He snaps his fingers three times, and one lung is punctured, blood pooling in it, his liver and spleen in tiny pieces. “This is what his internal organs and ribs looked like when I found him, John. Another minute, and he’d have been gone.” Cas turns and walks back to the house, leaving the hologram up.

John grunts. “Not so fast, demon boy.” He takes out a knife and stabs his left hand, pressing it into his car.

Cas screams in pain, and Dean runs out to where Cas kneels, hands pressed to his head, still screaming.

“Cas!” He looks up. “Dad, what did you do? Stop! Stop it!”

John laughs lightly. “It’s a banishing spell for demons. I guess we know he’s not a demon.”

“It’s killing him, Dad!” Dean shoots up and runs at the car, pulling his shirt off and rubbing the outside of the car down to get rid of the sigil. “Dad,” Dean says, voice cracking.

“It’s for the best, Dean,” Dad says. “I’m trying to protect you.”

Cas has collapsed. Dean runs over to him and tries to lift him. Then he just hugs Cas to him. He starts to stir and and takes a small breath.

“Cas?”

“No, it’s Jimmy. Jimmy Novak,” Cas – Jimmy – whoever – says.

“Where’s Cas?” Dean asks, gripping the boy’s shoulders.

“I don’t know.” Jimmy frowns. “He’s here, but not…here.” He winces. “Whatever that man did to us, it hurts.”

“See, Dad? There’s a human in there. And you hurt him.” Dean shakes his head and guides Jimmy’s arm around his shoulder. “C’mon, Cas.”

“Jimmy.”

“Sorry.” Dean helps him into the house and into their room. “I’m not sure how much you, uh, remember, but Cas and I share a room. Sorry if it makes you uncomfortable.”

When there’s no reply, he looks down to see Cas - Jimmy - asleep. He hefts him into Cas’ side of the bed and pulls the covers over him. Then he goes back out and takes his penknife out. Karen, Sam, and Adam are upstairs, playing a game. Bobby and John are in the kitchen, and it sounds like Bobby is yelling at Dean’s dad.  
Dean sneaks past the kitchen and out the door. He goes to the Impala and kisses it. “Sorry, baby,” he says, dragging the knife down the paint job. He chips and scratches off as much paint as he can, especially around the area where the sigil was. Then, he smashes the head- and tail-lights. Dean pats the Impala one more time and returns to his room, where he climbs into bed and falls asleep next to Cas, or Jimmy, or whatever.

//

Dean is awoken by a hand grabbing his collar and dragging him out of bed. This isn’t a good sign.

John drags Dean out and releases him next to the Impala. Dean crosses his arms and sits back. In daylight, it looks even worse than last night. “Yeah?”

“You scratched my car.”

“You tried to kill my best friend.”

“I thought he was a demon.” John hands Dean sandpaper and a bucket of paint, brush already in it.

“I haven’t eaten -”

“You won’t, not until this is done.” John walks back inside the house, and Dean hears the door click shut.

He sighs and smiles to himself as he begins to sand paint off. He guesses it was worth it, more or less. But, even though it’s past dawn, it’s cold out, and he doesn’t have a jacket.

//

Cas and Jimmy wake up. The bed is cold, and they want Dean to be back in it. Jimmy asks Cas if he’s feeling any better. Cas is much better. He asks Jimmy if Jimmy is still open to being his vessel. Jimmy agrees, and Cas and Jimmy become one once more.

Now Cas goes in search of Dean. He listens carefully and finds him to be outside. That’s odd. His coat is still on the chair. Cas pads down the stairs. Bobby, Karen, and Adam are at the table. “Where’s John and Dean?” he mumbles, rubbing his eyes.

Karen hugs Cas tightly. “You’re okay,” she says. “You scared us.”

“I’m fine, just tired. Where’s Dean?”

Karen and Bobby meet each other’s eyes. “Last night, Dean keyed the Impala. John’s forcing him to fix it. Dean seems to be perfectly happy with the result, though.”

Bobby shrugs. “John’s on the porch, watching him.”

Cas nods, takes his coat off the rack, sliding it on, and grabs a sweatshirt for Dean. He walks out the door and past John, who says nothing to him. Silently, he hands the sweatshirt to Dean, who doesn’t look up at first, saying only, “Thanks.”

“Dean.”

Dean’s head shoots up, and he hugs Cas. “Are you okay?”

“I’m a little tired, but other than that, I’m fine,” Cas says.

“I’m sorry, Cas,” Dean says. “I didn’t know, I swear.”

“He knows I’m not a demon now,” Cas jokes, sitting on the ground next to the car. He lays back and stares up at the sky. “Aren’t you going to get back to work?”

“Mhm,” Dean says, and then he paints a black line down Cas’ cheek.

“Hey!”

Dean cackles and goes back to working on the paint job. He hums and whistles as he works, and Cas listens and looks at the clouds.

“How are your mojo levels?” Dean asks suddenly.

“Low,” Cas admits. “But I’m just tired.”

Dean nods and wipes some extra paint off the car. “This paint job doesn’t look very good,” he admits. “I guess that’s okay. Dad and Bobby will probably redo it. But I don’t feel bad about this.”

Cas shrugs. “Should you?”

“Maybe. I was mad.” Dean holds the bucket in one hand and circles the car. “I think I’m done.” He offers Cas a hand and walks to the porch, handing John the sandpaper and bucket of paint. He hesitates and then mutters, “I’m sorry.”

“Me too,” John says. He looks to Cas. “Apologies.”

Cas nods and blinks. He’s starting to fall asleep again. Dean notices and picks him up. “Let’s get you back to bed,” he says. “We can talk later, Dad.” He carries Cas to their room and sets him on the bed. “Sleep tight.”

//

“Maybe you and I should go on a hunt of our own sometime soon. One of the next few weekends, maybe?” John says, sipping from a beer while they sit on the couch, watching a football game.

“Maybe,” Dean says. “I might have stuff to do for school.”

“I need to teach you to hunt more,” Dad says. “Soon, okay?”

“Yeah,” Dean says. He rubs his eyes. “I’m going to go do some work. School starts again tomorrow.” He walks into the kitchen and sits at the table, pulling out his books and starting on the work he’s neglected.

//

“Hey! Dean!” Lisa says, running up to him. She throws her arms around his shoulders. “How was your break?”

Dean meets Cas’ eyes and smiles. He hugs her back, spinning her around. “Hey, Lisa. It was fun.” He sets her down. “Tell me about yours.”

Cas walks next to Dean on the other side as Lisa rambles on about visiting family for Christmas. Dean nods in the right places, and they hold hands tightly. Cas sighs and pretends to listen to the girl, too. They turn the corner and go to math, and Lisa leans up and kisses Dean’s cheek before they walk in. He smiles, holding the door for her and Cas.

Ms. Bailey stands at the front of the classroom, hand out for homework pages. Dean sets his bag down and rummages around for the page. Cas reaches his hand in his bag and creates the work, pulling it out and handing it to Ms. Bailey. Dean hands his to Cas, who hands it to Ms. Bailey.

They sit in their normal seats. Georgie turns around and bumps fists with Dean. “You ready for the hockey season?” he asks, grinning.

Dean nods, grinning back. “When are tryouts again?”

“Tomorrow after school. You got full gear?”

Dean shakes his head. “I need shoulder pads and a helmet still.”

“I might have some old gear,” Georgie says. “Bring what you have tomorrow and I’ll do my best to fix you up.” He nods to Cas. “Hey, Castiel.”

“Hello, George. How was your break?”

“Good, thank you. How was yours?”

“Dean and I went on a road trip with his dad,” Cas says. “It was interesting.”

George nods, and Ms. Bailey starts class, shooting glares out.

Lisa sits close to Dean at lunch. Really close. Cas is silent for most of it, and Dean is uncharacteristically quiet as well.

//

“So,” Lisa says.

“Mhm?” Dean asks, mouth full of apple.

“The formal is next week,” she says, taking his hand.

“Okay?”

“Aren’t you going to ask me?”

Dean’s eyes widen. “Oh. I didn’t know I had to ask you. I thought it was just a given that we’d go together.”

She rolls her eyes. “Silly. Pick me up at eight?”

“Yes, ma’am!” he says, mock-saluting and then kissing her cheek. “Isn’t the day after the formal our two-month-iversary?”

She smiles. “You remembered!”

“Of course,” Dean says, returning to his food. “Now, let me eat in peace.”

Cas chuckles then. Both of them turn to him. “You’re so innocent, Dean,” he says, still laughing.

Lisa gives Dean and Cas odd looks and then shakes her head. “So…you guys, like, live together, right?”

Dean nods. “Share a room.” He turns to Cas and mutters, “What do you mean?”

“By this time before history changed, you were kind of an ass,” Cas says.

Dean glowers at the angel for a moment, and then he laughs. “What would I have done?”

“Attempted to convince a girl to break more than a few moral rules,” Cas answers, laughing.

Lisa frowns. “What did you do before you came here, Dean?”

“He hasn’t done that,” Cas says, laughing still.

Dean rolls his eyes and shoves Cas off the bench. Cas pops back up and climbs onto the bench again, shoving Dean off this time.

//

“Hey, boys. How was school?” Karen asks, kissing Sam’s forehead and ruffling Dean and Cas’ hair. “Hey, Lisa. How are you?” She smiles at the girl. “Are you staying for dinner?”

“Yes, please,” Dean says, shrugging his coat off.

“Hey, kids,” Bobby says, popping his head in from the study. "Dean, Cas, can John and I talk to you for a few?”

Dean and Cas meet each other’s eyes and go into the study, shrugging.

“Are they talking about hunting again?” Sam says, sighing. “I’m not a little kid. I can go.”

“Sam, remember what happened to Dean on the last trip?” Karen asks. Sam nods, and she continues, “And Dean is nearly five years older than you, Sam.” She puts her arm around him. “Besides, they’re probably just talking about more sigils to keep you safe, anyway.”

Lisa frowns and cocks her head, not understanding what they mean and vowing to ask Dean later.

Sam sighs and leans his head into Karen. “Do we have any bananas?” he asks.

Karen smiles. “Let’s go look, Sam. Lisa, do you want anything to eat or drink?”

She shakes her head and puts her bag next to the chair, pulling out her history homework. “No, thank you.”

//

By the time Dean and Cas exit the study, she’s finished history and is working on English. Lisa glances up at Dean and says, “That took a while.”

“I know. I’m sorry,” he says, but offers no explanation. Instead, he sits next to her and begins working on his own homework. Cas sits next to Dean and follows suit.  
Dean’s father comes in at one point, whispering in his son’s ear for a minute. Dean nods along. Then he turns and answers something.

“What are they talking about?” Lisa asks Cas.

“Hunting,” he says calmly. “And hockey.”

“Do you play?”

Cas considers. He knows how, but as an angel of the lord, he hasn’t had much of a chance to play before. “Yes,” he says. “Dean and I will both be trying out.”

Dean shoots a look at Cas before shrugging and turning back to his homework.

“What kind of hunting do y’all do that involves sigils?” Lisa asks suddenly. “And why did something happen to Dean on your last hunting trip?”

John, Dean, and Cas all whirl to face her. “Dean, what have you been telling the girl?” John growls.

“It wasn’t me, honest,” Dean says. “All I told her was that we went on a hunting trip over break.”

John looks at Cas. “Me neither,” Cas says. “I may be odd, but I’m not stupid.”

“Karen was talking to Sam,” Lisa says. “Now tell me what’s going on.”

Dean and his dad meet each other’s eyes, seemingly having a conversation.

Cas looks at her. “Dean and John hunt demons, monsters, gods, ghosts…the supernatural.”

“Cas!”

“If she flips out, I can wipe her memory,” Cas reminds them. “Put something else in place.”

John looks at the girl. She hasn’t responded yet, frowning at Dean instead.

“He’s joking, right?” she asks.

Dean shakes his head slowly. “Give me a moment,” he says. “I’m going to get something.” He disappears and returns with three things: a book, a knife with Enochian carved onto it by Cas, and an amulet. He sets them on the table in front of Lisa, opening the book to the section on angels. Cas rolls his eyes, realizing what Dean’s about to do. “Cas is an angel,” he says. “Cas?”

Cas sighs and stands up. “It’s true,” he says. “I am an angel of the lord.”

Lisa stares at them. “You two are crazy, right?”

Cas sighs. “Tell me something you have that there’s only one of, Lisa.”

She considers. “The drawing I made of my mother in first grade, right before she died.”

Cas closes his eyes and a yellowed, folded-up piece of paper appears in his hand. “It was in your attic, hidden in a crack in the wall.”

She takes the sheet of paper, frowning. “How -”

“He’s an angel,” Dean and John say in unison.

Cas takes a kitchen knife and shows it to her. He slices through his flesh, only for it to heal immediately. “Do you believe us now?”

“Yeah,” she says. “Wow.”

“You can’t tell anyone, Lisa,” Dean says.

She hesitates. “But -”

“But nothing, girl. Not a word,” John says, slamming the door on his way out.

“Nice guy, your dad is,” Cas mutters.

Dean laughs and gathers up the stuff he laid on the table. “Accurate. Help me put this stuff away?”

Cas sighs and shoves him slightly, taking all of it and flashing it away. “Happy?”

“Yeah. So, you’re trying out for hockey,” he says, raising an eyebrow.

“What if there’s a demon on the ice?”

Dean rolls his eyes. “It should be a good time. Plus, Georgie’ll like you this way.”

“He likes me now!”

Dean raises his eyebrows. “Sure, Cas.”

“Do you want me to help with physics or not?”

Dean sighs heavily. “Whatever.” But he slings an arm around Cas’ shoulders. “You were saying about physics…?”


	5. Chapter 5

“C’mon, Cas, get on the ice!” Dean shouts, twirling and jumping about.

Cas laughs and steps on, stick in hand. He skates over to Dean in measured strokes and hip-checks him. Dean stays upright, though he nearly falls, and he grins at Cas.

Georgie skates over and lightly knocks Dean’s shoulder. “You’re here! You have all your gear?”

“Yeah, Cas had some extra,” Dean says. “Cas is trying out, too.”

Georgie grins at the other boy. “Cool. What positions do you guys play?”

“Left defense,” Cas says.

Dean grins. “I’ll play center if I make the team.”

Georgie gives him another grin. “I play right wing.”

The coach blows the whistle, and everyone circles up. “Hopeful defensemen, go with Coach Quint and Mark,” he says, gesturing to a goalie and an older man with white hair. “Wings and centers, with me and the other goalies.”

Cas nods at him and they separate.

“Let’s see some slaps, dee,” Quint intones, standing on one skate and pointing the tip of the other one into the ice. “Mark, you ready?”

“Yes, coach,” he mumbles through a mouthguard.

“Okay, then, boys,” Quint says, grinning. “Get a few pucks each and get in a half-circle. One wrist and two slapshots each round.”

Each player grabs a few shots. Cas lifts his wrist shot into the upper-right hand corner of the net, getting it over the goalie’s shoulder.

He grins and slaps the other two pucks, giving them an extra punch so Mark barely sees them coming.

//

Dean skates over to him in their first water break. “You little cheat,” he mutters, grinning and taking a sip. “Using your angel powers.”

Cas grins. “Hey, you have to make use of what you have,” he says, nudging Dean’s shoulder with his own and taking the bottle from him.

Dean rolls his eyes. “It’s ‘you gotta use what you have,’ Cas,” he says.

Cas grins again. “Oh well.” He sets the water bottle down and does a perfect spin on the ice. Dean sprints at him and sends them both flying into the boards, laughing.

“C’mon, boys, up again,” the coach calls. “Back to practice.”

//

“Have you played much?” Dean asks Cas as they leave the school, starting the walk to where Cas will zap them home.

“Hockey?” Cas laughs. “No, Dean. I’m an angel of the lord. Hockey is not in my job description.”

Dean frowns at him then. “Then why try out?”

“I’m supposed to protect you.”

“In hockey.”

Cas shrugs. “It’s not such a bad way to have to protect you.”

Dean laughs. “You just like it.”

Cas shakes his head and grabs Dean’s elbow, zapping them back to Bobby’s house.

Karen sets a plate of vegetables on the table. “How were tryouts, Dean?”

“Cas tried out, too,” Dean says, grabbing a handful of cucumber. “But they were good. Fun.”

“Cas, I didn’t know you played hockey,” Karen says.

“It’s fun.”

“You know what else is fun? Your homework. Now git, boys,” Bobby says. “Go on, now.” He has a wriggling, mud-covered Adam in his arms.

Dean rolls his eyes. “Why does Adam get to have all the fun?” he complains.

“Because he’s not in school yet,” Bobby quips back, grinning at him. “You heard me. Git!”

Dean nearly giggles as he shuts the door to their room. This kind of mood from Dean is one of Cas’ favorites. Dean always gets so open and silly when he’s like this. Willing to talk about anything.

“How’re things with Lisa?” Cas asks, laying back on their bed.

Apparently not that. Dean’s face clouds over and he pulls his schoolbooks out.

“Dean,” Cas says. “I can just probe your mind.”

Dean glares at him. “They’re fine.”

Cas cocks his head. “What?”

“Things with Lisa. They’re fine. I just don’t want to talk about my girlfriend with you.” Dean sits in their desk, facing away from Cas, and starts his math homework.

//

“You boys feeling alright?” Bobby says, helping himself to some of the eggs. He’s never seen the two seriously fight.

But both of them nod, already halfway through their breakfasts.

Bobby shrugs. “Okay. I can pick Sam up today, but I have a car coming in at four. Can you guys get home by yourselves?”

“I can pick them up if Cas doesn’t want to zap them,” John offers, reaching for a banana. “I’d like to see Dean play hockey, anyway.”

Dean mutters something derogatory and Cas laughs, being the only one that heard it. Everyone stares at him. “Dean, uh, made a joke,” he says, hunching in on himself a bit.

Dean chuckles then, too. “Yeah,” he says. “Cas, you ready for school?”

Cas nods and gets up, putting his plate in the sink and his coat on. “C’mon, Sam,” he says. Sam hops down from his chair and follows the example of the older boys.

“Have a good day at school, boys!” Karen yells.

“Dean!” Lisa calls, seeing them walk into the school.

He takes her by the hand and kisses her firmly. “Hey, babe.”

She stares at him. “Wow. Um, good morning.”

He smiles at her and kisses her cheek. “Good morning.” Over her shoulder, he shoots Cas a look.

Cas raises his eyebrow, and Sam tugs on his sleeve. “Cas, will you take me to my classroom?” Sam asks.

Cas looks down. “Of course, Sam. Let’s go.” He walks away from Dean and Lisa, Sam attached to his hand and chattering about the day. He knows the kiss was meant to spite him, and it does, though it shouldn’t. He’s an angel of the lord, after all. He holds his head a little higher and deposits Sam at fifth grade before going to his math class, taking the seat Lisa normally takes so Lisa and Dean can sit next to each other.

Dean frowns at Cas, and Cas crosses his arms. “Class is starting.”

Lisa glances back and forth between them.

“Something you three would like to share with the class?” Ms. Bailey says sharply.

Dean shakes his head and rests it on the heel of his hand. “No, Ms. Bailey.”

She gives them a skeptical look and returns to the board. “Well, then, Mr. Winchester, you and Mr. Novak can discuss your problems in the principal’s office.”

Cas’ hand shoots up. “But we’ll miss class.”

“You’re missing class by talking with each other, too. Or, in your case, not talking, Mr. Novak.”

“Ms. Bailey, please.”

“Go.”

They gather their bags, grumbling, and walk towards the office. Neither says anything at first, and then Dean says, “I’m sorry, okay?”

“For what?” Cas cocks his head. “I was the one that pushed you.”

Dean shrugs. “I was an ass.” He holds his fist out and Cas stares at it. Dean laughs and shapes Cas’ hand into a fist, bumping it with his own.

“Ah,” Cas says. “I didn’t realize -”

“It’s okay, Cas.” Dean ruffles his hair. “Now let’s get through this meeting, okay?”

Cas shoves him. “Don’t patronize me, Dean Winchester.” But he grins and fist bumps Dean again.

//

“So, Dean,” the coach says.

“Yes, sir?” Dean spits his mouth guard into the cage of his helmet.

“Do you think you can get around Cas?”

Dean swallows and looks at the boy now playing Sumo with Georgie. “Coach -”

“Can you do it?”

Cas wins against Georgie and meets eyes with Dean, nodding. “I’ll do it,” Dean says. He glances to where his dad watches from the stands and puts his mouthguard back in, swallowing.

Cas gives him a look that says, _I won’t go easy on you_. Dean moves the puck back and forth on his stick while waiting for coach to blow the whistle. Cas is a good ten feet around him. Dean knows what he’ll have to do.

The whistle blows, and Dean is off. He reaches near Cas and knocks the puck towards the board, dropping his shoulder and throwing Cas in the other direction. He picks the puck back up and races towards Mark, who stands ready. He can hear Cas on his tail. He gets ready to take the shot and -

And Cas throws him into the boards. He sighs and stands up, skating to where Cas is trying to take the puck out, taking it back and throwing a wrist shot at Mark, who traps it.

The coach nods. “Good, boys.” Then he turns back to his clipboard.

“Sorry,” they say at the same time. Dean laughs and throws an arm around Cas. “Just doing our jobs.”

Cas grabs and extra puck and they take turns getting it past each other and stealing it back. By the end, they’ve both learned all each other’s tricks - Cas stays mostly human - and it’s a game of brute strength (Cas wins usually).

//

“Okay, boys, gather around!” the coach yells. Everyone circles around him, clambering to be in the center. “Coach Quint and I will put the team roster up on the door to the locker room while you guys change. Go on!”

Everyone races off the ice. Dean and Cas have adjacent lockers (which Cas had to work for a bit to get) and they chatter as they change.

“Dean, my man,” Georgie says, fist-bumping him. “Nice job there. And you, Castiel! I never would have guessed it.”

Dean snorts. “Me neither.”

Cas shoves him. “What can I say? I love hockey.”

“I can see that,” Georgie says. “Anyway, nice job, boys. I’ll see you around.”

Dean and Cas high-five and then each drops his shorts, hanging them on the hooks. Dean pulls his sleeves down now. “Really, though, Cas, no one expected you’d play.”

Cas laughs. “I have to have some down time, Dean.”

“Not sure I’d call hockey down time,” Dean says, hanging his sleeves on a hook, too, and putting his shin pads on the shelf. “Either way, I’ll have you at my back.”

Cas laughs and hangs his shoulder pads. “Of course, Dean.”

“Y’all sound kind of gay,” one of the freshman next to Dean says.

Dean laughs. “We’re not. I’m dating Lisa.”

“You’re dating a sophomore?”

Dean nods. “Yeah. Cas is like my brother.”

Cas’ grimaces at that, but pulls his shirt on, making no comment. He drops his jocks and pulls sweatpants on. Dean is pulling his own sweatpants on, too.  
“I’m going to go see if we made the team,” Cas says to Dean. “Hurry up.” He grins. “Slowpoke.” He turns and leaves the locker room, sighing to himself. He glances at the sheet, even though he had already read the coaches’ minds to make sure they were going to let Dean on.

Dean comes out of the locker room, shifting his backpack on his shoulders, and throws an arm around Cas. “Well? What’s the verdict?”

“We made it, naturally,” Cas says. “C’mon, let’s get home.” They walk towards the woods (in the general direction of Bobby’s house) and Cas transports them back to the front door of Bobby’s house.

“We’re home,” Dean says.

Karen smiles. “Go shower, boys. Dean, Lisa called and told me she’s coming over to go over math with you and Cas.”

Dean nods and the two of them head towards their room, chattering about hockey. Dean lets Cas shower first, even though, strictly speaking, the angel doesn’t need to. But it’s the little things, right?

After Cas gets out, he carries his dirty clothes back to their room with one hand while holding his towel up with the other. Dean nods at him and goes into the bathroom.

As Cas is pulling jeans on, the door to their room opens. Lisa sidles in. Cas nods to her and grabs a shirt from the pile on top of the dresser. He realizes it’s Dean’s (it’s a bit large for him), but pulls a hoodie on over it anyway. Neither of them needs Lisa seeing the lumps from his wings.

“Hey, Cas,” Lisa says, setting her bag on the floor. “How are you?”

Cas smiles tightly at her. “I’m well, thanks. And you?”

“Good. Did you two make the team?”

Cas nods. “Yes. Dean played very well.”

“Cas, do you like boys or girls?” Lisa asks, sitting on the bed.

Cas’s face heats up. “What do you mean?” _Dean_ , he thinks. _Dean_.  
“Like…dating. Do you like men or women?” She fiddles with the zipper of her hoodie.

Cas swallows. “I am an immortal being of Heaven,” he says.

“Cas, c’mon.”

“And as such,” he continues, “I am genderless, and I do not have sexual preference.”

She lays back. “But you have a male - what is it you are?”

“My vessel is a human boy of about Dean’s age,” Cas says casually. “Dean calls him my skin suit.”

“But he’s a human.”

Cas nods. “Yes, and, with his permission, I use his body as my house, so to speak.”

Dean enters the room, lightly smacking Cas’s shoulder (making Cas jump), and sees Lisa. “Hey, babe,” he says, hunting around the pile on top of the dresser for his boxers and jeans. He pulls them on, grabbing a shirt off the pile. Cas recognizes it as his.

“Hey, that’s mine,” he says, snatching it out of Dean’s hand.

“You’re wearing mine,” Dean says.

“Yeah, so?” Cas shoves his shoulder.

Dean laughs. “Whatever, Cas.” He grabs another shirt off the pile and pulls it off. “Just give it back once you’re done.”

Cas shoves him again, grinning. “Hey, I’ll go get some stuff to eat. Lisa, any requests?”

She shakes her head, and he leaves.

“Hey, buddy,” Bobby says, ruffling Cas’ hair. “How were tryouts?”

“Good,” Cas says. “Dean and I both made it.”

John leans against the counter. “Yeah. You’re pretty good out there, angel boy.”

Cas laughs. “I like it,” he says. “Hockey, I mean. And playing with Dean is fun.”

“I have to say, you’re not the type of kid I’d expect my son to hang out with,” John admits.

Cas shrugs. “It doesn’t matter, John Winchester. It is my duty to protect him.”

John sighs. “Cas, I’m not going to try to kill you.”

“You have. Twice.” Cas gathers food to take upstairs. “Why should I believe you?”

“For my son’s sake.”

Cas slowly turns. “What do you mean?”

“Dean needs me to teach him to hunt. He’s good for a kid, but he’s not the best. And he has to be the best.” John holds Cas’s eerie stare in his own.

Cas grimaces. “Okay.” He turns. “I’m going to go spend time with my friends.” He walks up the stairs, opens the door, and drops the bowl he was carrying.

Dean’s head shoots up. Lisa’s hand is still down his pants. The door is open and the bowl in shards on the ground, but Cas has disappeared. He stands up and zips his pants, willing any sign of their actions away, and runs down the stairs. “Bobby - have you seen Cas?”

“Yeah, he just went upstairs to bring you guys food,” Bobby replies.

Dean groans. “Damn it. Shit!”

“What happened?”

“He, uh, walked in on me and Lisa -” Dean shakes his head and pulls on his hair. “How could I be so stupid?”

Bobby laughs. “Jesus, Dean.”

Dean rubs his forehead. “He’s always so upset around me and Lisa! I don’t understand. She’s my girlfriend!”

Bobby laughs even harder at that. “Go find him, Dean.”

“How can I? He’s gone! Disappeared! He could be anywhere, Bobby!” Dean is near hysterical now.

Bobby sets a hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Calm down, Dean. You’ll know where to find him.”

Dean closes his eyes and considers. “You’re right. I do know where he is.” He goes to the coat closet and gets out his winter coat, a hat, and mittens. “I’ll be back once I find him. Tell Lisa I’ll see her tomorrow.”

Bobby sighs. “Go, Dean.” Once the door has shut, he turns to where Lisa sits on the stairs. “Come sit at the table, Lisa,” he says.

“I don’t know what I’m doing wrong,” she says. “He always goes after Cas.”

“He loves Cas.” Bobby hands Lisa a glass of water. “And Cas loves him, but not in the way Dean loves Cas.”

“What do you mean?” She frowns.

“Cas is in love with Dean, and Dean doesn’t feel the same way. Not yet, at least,” Bobby says.

Lisa frowns. “He loves Dean?”

Bobby nods. “Lisa, you can’t tell this to Dean. If he’s going to hear it from anyone, it has to be Cas.”

Lisa starts laughing.

“What?” Bobby asks.

“Your family has so much drama,” she says. “I won’t say anything, Bobby. Thank you for explaining.”

“Do you want a ride home?” Bobby pulls the keys from his pocket.

“No, I have my bike.” She smiles and hugs him. “Thanks, Bobby.”

“Bye, Lisa.”  
~  
“Cas, I -”

“Go away, Dean Winchester.” Cas sits crossed-legged, thirty feet up in the tree.

“No!” Dean grabs a branch and begins to climb.

“Dean, get down! You’ll -”

The icy branch slides out of Dean’s grasp and he tumbles to the ground. Cas jumps down, landing next to Dean. “- fall,” he finishes. “Are you okay?”

Dean nods. “Yeah, I’m fine. Will you let me explain, Cas?”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Dean,” Cas says wearily.

“Why not?”

“Dean, I’m not here to be your friend,” Cas snaps. Dean recoils, and Cas winces. “I’m sorry, Dean. I didn’t mean that, okay?”

“Then what did you mean?” Dean asks, sitting up and pulling his legs into his chest.

“I was just mad, Dean,” Cas says. “I didn’t mean anything, okay?”

Dean sighs. “What are you even mad about? I can understand being embarrassed, but -”

“Let’s not push our luck.”

Dean laughs and stands up. “Okay. Okay, let’s go.”

“Cas,” Dean grunts, tossing the puck back and pushing through the center and their right defense.

Cas grins and smashes through their lines. Dean follows, and Cas takes a shot, which bounces off, but Dean rebounds and it’s a goal.

They bump gloves and hop off the ice. The coach leans over and whispers in Cas’s ear. Cas nods.

“What’d he say?” Dean asks.

“Nothing important.” Cas knocks his shoulder into Dean’s. “Just to watch my right side.”

Dean nods, and they turn their attention back to the game. They’ll be on soon, maybe two minutes from now. At the most.

When they get back on the ice, Cas scoots forward, forcing the other dee to hang back. He waits for the puck to be dropped and steals it, racing up the ice. Dean follows, just a bit slower, and takes the dropback pass, shooting it through Cas’ legs.

//

“You played great, kid,” Bobby says, ruffling Dean’s hair. “And Cas - oh, man! That was great! Now you just have to hold onto the lead. Only one more period.” He winks and lets them go to the locker room to talk with their coaches.

“Okay, Dean and Cas are going to start as center and left wing,” Coach says. “Georgie, you’re on right wing. I want Max and Shawn starting in dee. Get the goal, end the shift. Got it?”

“Yessir!” the team choruses.

“Now get in for a cheer and let’s go win this thing,” he says.

“On three - Devils,” the captains say. “One, two, three -”

“DEVILS!”

The team storms back onto the ice, warming Mark back up. The ref blows the whistle and Dean goes to his spot at the faceoff circle, Cas to his left and Georgie to his right.

Cas smiles at him through his mouthguard, and then everything seems to slow as the puck is dropped. Dean is at it almost before the other center can react, and he drops it to Cas, who jolts forward with it. Dean and Cas weave, passing, up to the goal, where Cas takes a shot. Dean catches the rebound on the end of his stick. He turns to take get the player off the goal and pass to Cas and a huge, solid force smashes him into the boards. He didn’t even have the puck anymore!

Dean tries to get up and whimpers, dropping back to the ice. The ref notices and blows the whistle. Cas is by his side in an instant.

“What hurts, Dean?”

“My shoulder,” Dean says. “I think I dislocated it.”

“Hmm.” Cas gets on his knees and snaps his fingers. Everything around them freezes.

Dean looks around. “Cas, why did everyone stop moving?”

“I paused time,” Cas says nonchalantly. “I’m going to change your injury.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you’ll be out for at least six weeks with a fully dislocated shoulder. I’m going to fix you up and just pull your shoulder out a bit and crack a few fingers.”

Dean stares at him. “You’re going to what now?”

“Hm. You’re right.” Cas’s eyes twinkle. “I’ll crack your nose a bit, too. Don’t want people thinking you’re a softie.” He grins. “And I won’t touch the ribs you’ll be feeling tomorrow.”

Dean sighs but allows Cas to slide his hand beneath Dean’s pads. Dean grunts as his shoulder is popped back into place and then again as Cas heals it and pops it back out a little. When Cas fractures his finger, he winces.

“You know,” he says, glaring at Cas and wiping his eyes after the nose crack. He ignores the blood. “You know, I’m not sure whether to thank you or be kind of pissed.”

“Let some blood drip on the ice,” Cas suggests, guiding him back to his original position on the ice and getting on his knees. “And hush up. I’m going to start time again soon.” He snaps his finger and Dean’s coach hops over the boards. Cas puts on a more scared face and holds Dean to the ice with one hand.

“Dean? Dean, what hurts? Did you hit your head?” Coach asks.

Dean lets out a muffled grunt. “Bastard cracked my nose and did somethin’ nasty to my shoulder.”

“Quint’s getting the trainer now,” Coach says, kneeling on the other side of Dean. “How are your ribs?”

“Little sore,” Dean says. “Shit.” He turns his head to look at Coach, blood dripping from the hand over his nose.

John and Bobby both hop over the boards, much to the chagrin of the refs. Bobby joins Cas, and John kneels by Dean’s head.

“You okay, Dean-o?” John asks, resting a hand on the back of his son’s neck.

Dean shifts and pushes himself off the ice and into a seated position with his good arm. “I’ll be fine, Dad,” he says. The blood drips onto his light blue jersey now. “Help me get my helmet off, Cas?”

Bobby unbuckles the helmet, and Cas pulls it off, setting it on the ice. A trainer steps onto the ice, walking carefully to Dean. She kneels in front of him. “Can you tell me what happened?” she asks.

Dean looks to Cas, trying to keep more blood from dripping out of his hand. She hands him a towel, which he gratefully holds over his nose.

“Number six checked him into the boards. He didn’t even have the puck. He said something about his shoulder,” Cas says.

She considers. “Are you his father?” she asks Bobby.

“I am,” says John.

“Well, why don’t you three get him up and off the ice.” She nods to Cas. “Help him get some of his gear off.”

“What about the game?” Coach asks.

She looks at the two of them. “Well, he’s certainly not playing, and I think you’ll have to let the other one choose.”

“I’m going with Dean,” Cas says immediately. “But first…” He stands up, dropping his helmet and skating to number six, who grins at him.

“Crazy check,” he says.

“You made a mistake,” Cas says calmly. Then he swings his fist up, smiling as he hears the surprised grunt from the other player. “Don’t touch my best friend.” Then he ducks from under number six’s punch and helps Dean up. John and Bobby help him off the ice, and Cas carries their gear. Once they get Dean to the locker room, Cas waves Bobby and John off and guides Dean’s jersey off.

Dean winces, but allows Cas to remove his skates, elbow pads, and shoulder pads. “I’m sorry, Dean,” Cas says.

“You did so much,” Dean says. “Besides, this is hardly an injury compared to -”

“My job is to keep you from being injured at all, Dean.” Cas undoes the ties on Dean’s hockey shorts and lets him stand so they slide off. “And you got hurt anyway.” He pulls the sleeves down from the velcro on Dean’s thighs and then unstraps his shinguards. He puts all of Dean’s gear up and then gestures to Dean’s jocks. “Do you want me to -”

“Can you -” Dean asks at the same time, gesturing to them.

Cas nods and pulls them down. He takes Dean’s sweats and helps him into them. “Do you mind if I just take my gear off?” he asks. “I can help you to the trainers after that.”

Dean laughs. “Cas, why would I say no?”

Cas shrugs and sheds his gear quickly, hanging everything up until he stands in front of Dean in only spandex. He quickly pulls sweats and his tee shirt on, grabbing Dean’s for once he can move his shoulder again. Then he guides his arm underneath Dean’s shoulders and helps him up. “Alright, let’s get going,” he says to Bobby and John. They walk ahead and help boost Dean onto a table in the training room.

The trainer pulls up on a wheely stool with a kit. “Did you feel a pop or a crack when he hit your shoulder?”

“I think it’s a bit dislocated,” Dean says. “I can’t move it too well.”

The trainer hums and looks at the shoulder, gently probing. “Popping it in is going to hurt,” she warns, moving her arms into different positions. She motions to Cas for him to hold Dean down. “You ready?” she asks, popping it in one fluid motion.

Dean yells out. Then he looks at Cas, who leans down and whispers, “I numbed your nerve before I put it back in.”

Dean huffs and brings his left hand, the good one, to his ribs. “Damnit, Cas, you were right about the ribs.”

The trainer’s head pops up at that. She gently probes his ribcage. “Probably just a bit bruised,” she says. “Now let’s take a look at that nose. You might have a mild concussion. I wish you boys would wear helmets with cages.” She takes the towel from Dean and examines his nose, catching the slowing flow of blood with an expert hand. “How does your head feel?”

“I mean, it hurts, but the dude did something to my nose,” Dean says.

The trainer looks to Bobby. “Keep him from school tomorrow. Wake him up every few hours tonight. I want him back here the day after tomorrow before school, to check up on his head and his shoulder.”

She opens the cabinet to her left and searches in there for a bit, handing Cas a box showing a smiling boy with his arm in a sling. Cas looks at the box and then at Dean.

“He’ll need to wear that until his arm feels completely better,” she says. “The number of days can range, but the shortest I’ve ever seen is four days. Then we start rehab.”

Dean sighs and lays back on the chair. “Cas, my shirt?” Cas hands it to him, and he pulls it on, careful not to tweak his arm. Then he takes the box from Cas and puts the sling on, sighing. “I look like a fool.”

Cas puts his hand on Dean’s good shoulder. “Let’s get you home,” he replies. Dean gets off the table, and Cas guides him toward the door. “Thank you,” he says to the trainer.

“Of course,” she says.

Cas picks their schoolbags up, and the two of them walk out of the building. Bobby and John are still talking to the trainer.

The boys walk to where no one will see them disappear, and then Cas zaps them home. Karen sees Dean and shakes her head. “Are you okay, Dean?” she asks.  
Dean nods. “Hockey.”

Cas puts their bags down and zaps them up to the bathroom. “Do you want to shower?” he asks.

“Cas, I don’t need -”

Cas rolls his eyes. “Relax, Dean. I’m not going to help you shower. But I’d like to shower, even if you don’t want to.”

Dean laughs lightly. “Yeah, I’ll shower. Help me with the sling?”

Cas pulls it off. “I can zap your clothes off, too, if you stand in the shower,” he says.

“Yes, please,” Dean says, voice slightly shamed.

“I’m sorry, Dean,” Cas says again.

“It’s not your fault, Cas.”

Cas sighs and sits back against the sink. “It most certainly feels like it.”

“Can I shower now?” Dean says, rubbing his temples. “I’m sorry, too,” he adds, stepping into the shower.

Cas snaps his fingers and the clothes are in his hands. “I’ll bring clothes when you’re done,” he says softly.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SPOILER ALERT: Season 5 spoilers - mild ones. 
> 
> Let me know if you notice any errors or anything. Thanks for reading!

“Bobby, I’m fine,” Dean says, sitting on the bed. “Really. No concussion. My shoulder’ll be fine.”

“The trainer said to keep you home and watch you,” Bobby says. “I’m going to go drop Sam off.”

Cas gives Dean a sympathetic smile. “We can play board games,” he offers.

Dean huffs. “I wanna play hockey.”

Bobby nods to Cas and Cas touches Dean’s forehead, putting him to sleep until Cas wakes him back up. “I’ll watch him, Bobby,” Cas says. “John and I can train with him.” He smiles. “No contact, naturally.”

Bobby rolls his eyes and leaves. “Book studying,” he grumbles. “And I want to work with you two, too. And Karen should, too.”

Cas smiles. “Of course, Bobby. John and I will set up a lesson plan, so to speak.” Bobby leaves, and Cas goes to find John. He finds him working on the crazy demon-cage Bobby and John are building in the basement. “John Winchester?”

“Yes, Cas?” He puts the welder down.

“I was thinking we could do some training for Dean and the Singers,” Cas says.

John takes off his mask and turns around. “Uh, yeah. Sure. Um, when?”

“Soon,” Cas says. “I am proficient with the supernatural creatures and how to kill them, but you have significantly more hands-on experience fighting as a human. I do not have to do that.”

John laughs and leans against the wall. “I know you know what would have happened had you not changed things.”

Cas scratches his head. “My…suggestion was not unintentional.”

“What would have happened?”

“You would have dragged Dean and Sam around the country, creating two angry sons and succeeding at nothing but destroying your family. Sam would have run off to law school and not spoken to either of you. Dean would have stayed with you, as he’s the obedient one, believe it or not, and Sam’s future girlfriend would be killed by the demon that killed Mary. It took her life in return for yours.” Cas looks at the ground. “Dean and Sam would both die at least once, and each time be brought back. Both nearly say yes to the devil and Michael the archangel, because Dean started the apocalypse.”

John watches. “What about me? What happens to me?”

Cas meets his eyes. “You die.”

John lets out a breath slowly. “Well, I guess this is a better outcome.”

“I do not like you, John Winchester,” Cas says. “I know what kind of man you are. But I also know you do love your boys, even if you show it in a twisted way.” He offers John a hand. “Let’s get to work. Dean is asleep, and Bobby is dropping Sam off at school. Karen has Adam.”

They pour over books and decide which creature to talk about - settling on ghouls - and then Cas puts Adam to sleep and wakes Dean up.

Dean glares at Cas. “You put me to sleep.”

“Yes, and usefully so,” Cas says. He offers Dean his sling. “Here.”

“I don’t want it,” says Dean, standing up with a sullen look at Cas.

“You’re being puerile,” Cas says. “John and I are going to work with you on some hunting basics.” He offers Dean a glass of water, which he takes, still glaring at the ground.

“I’m not puerile,” he grumbles.

Cas grins at him and grabs his good arm, pulling him down the stairs. “It’s okay. I don’t mind it.”

Dean laughs and takes a bowl out of the cabinet. Cas snaps his fingers and it’s filled with food. Then he taps his foot as Dean eats, holding the bowl for his friend. Dean finishes most of the cereal and sets the bowl in the sink. “Okay, let’s go.”

John straddles a chair, a few books in front of him in the dining room. Bobby sits across from him, next to Dean. Cas holds a sleeping Adam, and Karen hovers behind Bobby.

John points to the picture in the book he has out. “Ghouls,” he says.

Cas excuses himself to go lay Adam in his crib, cradling the small boy to his chest as he carries him up the stairs.

“I’m glad you don’t die by a ghoul this time,” Cas says, stroking the tot’s temple. He’ll stay asleep.

John is mid-monolgue when Cas returns. He slips in and listens. It’s about a dragon. Dragons are nasty pieces of work. John knows this well. Cas wonders how the discussion went from ghouls to dragons.

//

“Dean!” Georgie fights his way through the morning traffic. “How are you feeling, man? That was a brutal check.”

Dean nods. “Yeah. Not the worst I’ve had, honestly. I should be okay in a few days. I’m concussion-free, fortunately. Some bruising around my ribs, but that’ll go away, and my shoulder’s healing up well.” He laughs. “Worst part’s gotta be my nose. All black and blue. Kinda nasty.”

Georgie nods and claps him on his good shoulder. “I’ll see you in math,” he says. “And hey, man. You’ve got battle scars. Girls love that shit. Has Lisa seen you yet?”

Dean shakes his head.

Cas thinks he likes Dean better completely healthy.

Cas hands Dean his bag. “Let me know if you don’t feel well, Dean. I can help - with the pain, if with nothing else.”

Dean nods. “Thanks, man.” He claps Cas on the shoulder and wades into the crowd, leaving Cas to follow him.

//

Dean comes to practice that day, but he’s benched the entire time - Coach wouldn’t even let him skate. Cas gives him a sympathetic look as he centers Georgie and Phil.

That’s his line. Cas is centering his line. And Dean knows it’s just for a bit, and only in practice, but it still stings. The trainer has said he can go back to practice tomorrow, so long as there’s no contact. She called his recovery “miraculous.” Cas shot him an amused look.

As Dean watches, he grudgingly accepts that Cas centering that line in a game would be pretty fantastic. Cas on the ice in general is pretty fantastic. Coach loves him, because he’s amazing and seems to have no playing time cap. Naturally, he gets tons of playing time. Honestly, he deserves it.

Coach Quint sits next to Dean. “How’re you feeling, bud?” he asks.

“Frustrated,” Dean says. “I feel okay, and I want to be out there.”

His coach claps him on the shoulder, laughing. “Chomping at the bit, are we, Dean? Don’t worry, you’ll be out there with Cas and Georgie soon enough.”

Dean smiles. “Thanks, Coach.” He frowns. "You’re pulling Phil off our line?”

“Yes,” he says. “Coach and I liked the way you three played, even if it was only for a bit.”

Dean nods. “Who’s going to play dee for our line?”

“Max and Shawn. Phil will play on Brian’s line.” Coach puts one leg over the boards. “Feel better, Dean.” Then he hops back on the ice and begins to drill the defense.

//

Dean wrinkles his nose at Cas. The two are walking to their spot in the woods. “You smell.”

Cas gives him a serious look. “Of course. I just played in practice.”

Dean scowls. “Lucky you.”

Cas laughs and shoves him. “You’ll be back to playing soon. And I am sorry for centering your line, even if it was only for today.” Dean gives him a look, and Cas continues, “Your mind was practically screaming during practice today, Dean. A child could have realized you were frustrated.”

Dean gives him a flat look and then grabs his hand. When Cas gives him a weird look, he says, “Aren’t you going to zap us home?”

“Oh. Yes.” Cas brings them home, though Dean doesn’t release his hand for a few seconds, even after they’re there. Cas wishes it meant something, but he knows Dean’s straight.

Dean smiles at him. “I’ve got to do work, but I’m sure Dad could use some help maybe planning some lessons.”

Cas nods and leaves the room.

Dean sits on the bed instead of going to his desk and starting his work like he should. This whole being injured thing sucks. And Lisa can’t even come over today. He has Cas, but Cas has been acting…weird.

He throws his head back and it hits the wall. “Ow! Damnit.” He probably deserved that. He sighs and stands up, sitting at the desk.

“Dean! Dean! Look what I made in school today,” Sam says, coming into his room with a painting. It’s him and Sam when they were younger. Sam was maybe five, and Dean nine. It was from the birthday party Dean got invited to in third grade that he had to bring Sam to. A picture had been taken there of Sam on Dean’s hip, covered in blue frosting from his cake. The parents there had though this was hilarious and adorable, but John had picked them up wordlessly, telling Dean to get his brother clean.

Dean could see how the party could have been a good memory for Sam, but for Dean it was the first time John acted the way he does now most of the time.

Dean smiles. “Wow, buddy, That’s really good. Have you shown Bobby and Karen yet? I’m sure they’ll let you put it on the fridge.”

Sam shakes his head. “Will they?”

Dean nods and gets out of the chair, putting a hand on his little brother’s back. “How’s hockey, buddy?”

Sam grins. His tryouts were a few weeks ago, and he made the team. “Good! We have a game in Evansville, in Minnesota, next Saturday. This Saturday we play another team here. We’ve never gone so far!”

Dean leads him down the stairs. “Wow, Sam. That’s neat. Let’s show Bobby your picture, okay?”

//

Dean sits in the trainers’, Cas at his side, nearly wriggling with excitement to be cleared. When the trainer finally comes over - though Cas reminds him he only waited a few minutes - he answers all of her questions quickly and practically begs to show how much better he feels.

She laughs. “Have you felt any pain doing those stretches and exercises I showed you?”

He shakes his head. “Everything’s been fine. I promise. I’m ready to go back.”

She sighs. “All right, then. You can play today.” She makes a note in the file and closes it. “Good luck.”

Dean hops off the chair, letting out one happy yell. Cas laughs and follows him to the locker room, doing a once-over of Dean’s body and making sure everything’s healed. The two get dressed, chattering away, Dean’s smile lighting the entire room up - in Cas’ opinion.

“Dean! Great to see you back, buddy.” Coach smacks Dean’s helmet lightly. “How do you feel?”

Dean nods. “Good. Happy to be back. Very happy to be back.”

Coach laughs. “Okay, son. It’ll be you, Georgie, and Cas on first line. If one of you can’t keep up, we’ll replace you with Phil.”

Dean swallows. “Yes, Coach.”

Cas hits him lightly with his glove. “Do not worry, Dean. Georgie and I can slow down if you’re too slow. We want you on the line.”

Georgie grins at him, and he hits Cas back. “Ass,” he mutters. “I’ll be fine.”

“Okay. First line, we’re going to try a new drill.” Coach skates over to the whiteboard, and the team follows. He outlines the drill, explaining it, and Dean is a little lost. He feels a hand at his ribcage. Cas. He sees the drill running and nods slowly. Cas withdraws his hand.

“Okay, first line up first. Shawn and Max against them on dee.” Coach nods and the rest of the team sits on the bench.

Dean swallows. Coach passes the puck up the boards, and Cas grabs it. He passes it to Dean, and the two weave a bit while Georgie rushes net. Dean does a dropback to Cas, also rushing net, and Cas shoots. Georgie collects the rebound and fakes a shot, instead passing to Dean, who scores because Mark was covering left and he had right.

The three boys cheer and bump fists.

Phil lines up with his new line, shooting Dean a look. Dean shrugs an apology, and Phil shakes his head.

//

“How you feeling, Dean?” Georgie asks, pulling his shoulder pads over his head.

“Pretty good, man,” Dean says. He’s pulling his shorts off.

Georgie nods. “Good, good. Have you done the math yet?”

Dean shakes his head. “Have you?”

“Part of it.” Georgie groans. “It’s gonna take me forever. And I’m not ready for the test, either.”

“Well, Cas and Lisa and I are studying tomorrow night if you wanna come over,” Dean offers, shrugging as he undoes the clips of his shinguards.

Georgie nods. “Thanks. Where do you live?”

“Singer’s Autobody Yard,” Dean says. “Sam and Cas and me live with Bobby Singer and my other little brother.”

Georgie frowns at him. “You have another brother?”

“Yeah, Adam. He’s only a little kid, though. And he’s my half-brother. My mom died when Sam was a baby.” Dean shrugs. “But Karen’s real nice. See you tonight, man.” He follows Cas out of the locker room, pulling his coat and bag on. “You ready, Cas?”

Cas nods and they begin their trek. Sam’s at home, but Cas will drop him off at practice later. When they get to the clearing, Dean takes Cas’ hand again. This time, it doesn’t surprise Cas, but it frustrates him a little bit.

//

Dean and Cas are in pajamas, sitting on the bed and playing cards. Dean keeps glancing at something over Cas’ shoulder. “What?” Cas finally says, turning to look.  
“There’s nothing behind you,” Dean says. “I just - could I see your wings?”

Cas, who had been taking a sip of water from the glass on his nightstand, chokes. “What?”

“Your wings. Can I see them?”

Cas stares at him. “Dean, that’s the equivalent of me asking to see your penis. Like, erect.”

Dean shrugs. “It won’t mean that for me.”

Cas shakes his head. “No. You may not see my wings. And I’m going to bed.” He puts his cards down, lays back, and pulls the comforter over him.

He hears Dean huff. Then there’s the sound of the cards being put away. Then Dean gets up, closes the door, and turns the light out.

“I know you’re not asleep.”

Cas ignores him.

“I’m sorry.”

Cas still pretends to be sleeping.

//

“What’s up with you and Cas?” Lisa asks, putting her hand on Dean’s shoulder.

Dean blushes. “I asked him something too personal.”

“I mean, you two are like brothers, right?”

He nods. “Yeah, but I pushed him. He’s just a little bit uncomfortable, and he has every right to be.”

“What did you ask?”

“It’s no big deal,” Cas says, pushing past them. “Dean.”

“Cas, I -”

“We have class.”

“Cas.”

Cas looks back at him. “It’s still a no, Dean, and we have class.”

Dean looks after him as he walks to math.

//

Cas watches as Dean’s leg bounces up and down next to his own. “Dean.”

“Yes?”

“Your leg.”

He looks down and stops bouncing. “Sorry.” Then he takes a bite of his sandwich.

“What?”

“What?”

Cas chuckles. “What do you want to ask?”

“Is there any situation where I could see your wings?” Dean’s fingers tap out a beat now.

Cas considers. “If we are ever in a serious sexual situation and I am considering making you my Mate, I could show you a…manifestation of my wings.”

Dean swallows. “Got it. So not likely, then?”

“You tell me.” Cas doesn’t meet Dean’s eyes.

“I - hey, Lisa.”

Cas looks up to see them kissing on Dean’s lap. Cas bites the inside of his lip. But he turns back to his lunch, knowing they’ll stop pretty soon.

//

When Georgie shows up, Cas, Dean, and Lisa are in the boys’ room, laughing and eating from a bowl of chips. Cas hears the car and cocks his head to the side for Dean. Dean nods and stands, Cas following him. They open the front door for Georgie, who smiles at them and pulls his bag higher on his shoulder.

“Come on in,” Dean says.

Karen comes to the door behind Dean, setting her hand on his shoulder. “Hello,” she says. “I’m Karen. What’s your name?”

“Georgie,” he says, offering a hand to shake.

She tuts and takes his bag from him. “Would you like a slice of pie, Georgie?” She hands Cas the pie.

“Yes, please,” he says, eyes lighting up.

“Can we have pie, too?” Dean near begs.

Karen laughs and ruffles his hair. “Sure, bud. Apple all around. I’ll bring it up to your room, Dean and Cas.”

“Thanks, Karen,” Cas says, smiling at her.

The three walk toward the stairs, chattering about hockey.

“Dean! Cas!” John yells. “C’mere. Hunting.”

Dean and Cas give Georgie identical apologetical looks and slip into the library. “Yeah, Dad?” Dean says. “We have a friend over to study for a math test tomorrow.”

“Lisa can w-”

“It’s not Lisa, Dad,” Dean says. “What do you need?”

“Well, I think there’s a demon in the next town over,” John says, frowning. “Look at these clippings.” He hands them to Cas, who scans them and nods.

“John is right.” Cas frowns at him. “Why do you ask?”

“I’d like to take you and Dean hunting this weekend,” John says. “Hockey is early enough on Saturday that we can leave after the game, get the job done, and be back by Sunday night.”

Cas nods. “Sounds good to me.”

Dean smiles. “Okay, Dad. You research or whatever, and Cas and I will study for math, ‘cause I’m gonna fail this test otherwise.”

John laughs. “Good luck, boys.”

Dean and Cas slip out. Georgie has been taken to their room by Lisa, and the two laugh and chat. Dean and Cas come sit on the carpet near them, and then Lisa cuddles into Dean.

Georgie eyes Cas for a moment and then reaches into his bag and pulls out his textbook. “So how will we do this?”

“We normally just do practice problems and then ask Cas if we’re confused,” Lisa says. “He’s a math whiz. He doesn’t even study!”

“I don’t need to,” Cas says. “This math is simple.”

Dean rolls his eyes and shoves Cas. “Show off.”

“You will not need this math,” Cas points out.

Dean scowls. “Hush, Cas.”

Cas shrugs and leans against the wall, entirely casual. “You should get to work.” He pulls a book from the bookshelf near them and begins to read. It’s in Latin. Works of Julius Caesar.

He notices Georgie glancing at him from time to time. He pays no heed to the boy until he comes with his math notebook to ask Cas a question, sitting close to Cas on his right.

“I’m stuck,” he admits. “How do I do this? There are three variables.”

Cas can smell his cologne. “Well, look. You can just cancel c out.” It smells like cinnamon and something a little musky.

Georgie frowns. “What?” He runs his hand through blonde hair.

Cas points to two of the three equations. “If you subtract one of these from the other, then c cancels out.”

Georgie gives him a blank look.

Cas sighs and takes the pencil from him, scrawling on the page. “So we have these two equations, right? And when we subtract this one from this one, c is cancelled out. Then you have two equations with two variables that you can solve, because this equation doesn’t have c. And after you solve for a and b, you can put them back into one of the other two to solve for c. Make sense?”

Georgie looks over what he did. “Yeah. Thanks, Cas.”

Cas pats his shoulder and goes back to the book.

“Is that Latin?”

Cas looks up from the book. “Oh, yeah. Works of Caesar.”

“You can read Latin.”

Cas nods. “It’s helpful. Dean is becoming quite adept at reading it as well.”

“Oh, you’re teaching him?”

Georgie seems quite intent on making conversation, so Cas sets the book to the side. “Well, it’s helpful in the family business.”

“Cars?”

Dean chokes from across the carpet, and Cas scowls at him. “Only Dean’s father is a mechanic. The rest did historical research.”

“Dean likes history?”

“Yes, his favorite kind is mythology.” Cas shrugs.

“What about you? What do you want to do?”

Cas laughs. “I already have a job. I will work with my brothers and sisters.”

“If you have a family, why do you live with the Singers?”

“My brothers sent me here.” Cas studies Georgie’s knee. “Luci. And Zachariah, and Gabriel, and Michael, and Balthazar, and Uriel, and -”

“Hang on. You have a brother named Lucy? And Uriel?”

Cas laughs. “Lucifer, actually. And yes, Uriel is one of my eldest brothers.”

“Your parents named one of your brothers Lucifer.”

Cas smiles crookedly. “You could say we’re named for the angels.”

“Huh.” Georgie shrugged. “I mean, my parents named my little brother TJ Maxx, so you never know.”

Cas laughs at that. “I guess not. Are you going to do that math problem?”

“Oh, yeah.”

//

Dean grins at Cas. “Man, he was flirting with you.”

Cas gives him a blank look.

“Georgie!” Dean shakes his shoulder. “You’ve gotta flirt back. He thinks you’re cu-ute.”

Cas gives him another blank look. “He is human.”

“Cas, you should go for it. You aren’t getting any like me.” Dean grins and knocks his shoulder.

“What makes you think I like men?”

Dean gives him a look. “Please, Cas. I hear you muttering at night.”

Cas turns pale. “W-what?”

“You mutter both male and female names when you have dreams.” Dean gives him a grin. “C’mon, Cas. You know, there’s a GSA.”

Cas hesitates. “When does it meet?”

“Tomorrow, during lunch. Notice how Georgie always misses lunch on Thursdays? He’s at the GSA meeting. And it’s confidential.” Dean pulls off his jeans and pulls on his flannel pajama pants.

“I’ll go,” Cas says. “What about you?”

“Man, I’m straight.” Dean hesitates. “But…I wouldn’t be, you know, against having a boyfriend. But it doesn’t matter. I’m dating Lisa.”

Cas shrugs. “Okay. Who goes?”

“How would I know? I only know when it meets.” Dean claps him on the shoulder. “My little boy, all grown up.”

He rolls his eyes. “Dean.”

“Alright, alright.”

//

Cas walks to room three hundred fourteen slowly, gripping his lunch sack tightly. The students in there sit on desks, laughing and eating with one another. He opens the door and steps in. Georgie’s face lights up when he sees Cas, and he hops off the desk where he sits with Shawn. He makes a fist, which Cas bumps. “Hey, man! I didn’t know, you know, you were, uh, gay.”

Cas shrugs. “I have no preference sexually.” He looks down. “Dean suggested I come,” he admits.

Georgie puts a hand to Cas’ back for just a moment before pulling it off, a blush burning on already bright cheeks. “Come sit with Shawn and me.”

Cas nods, holding his lunch in two hands now. He sits next to Georgie, eating his packed lunch. “So, Shawn,” he says. “How long have you been coming here?”

Shawn takes a sip of juice. “Since I started dating Mikey.” He whistles. “Hey, babe.”

A senior comes over. He has dark hair in corkscrew curls cut close to his head. He kisses Shawn lightly on the lips and then the cheek. “Hey, Shawn. Who’s the new guy?”

“This is Cas,” Shawn says, inviting Mikey to sit behind him. “He plays hockey on Georgie’s line. Lives with Dean Winchester.”

“Oh, the cute freshman?”

Shawn hits him lightly and Mikey chuckles. “Relax. Besides, he’s straight.”

Cas coughs. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

Georgie elbows him. “C’mon, tell us.”

Cas shrugs. “Dean might date boys, but right now he is dating Lisa.” He bumps Georgie’s shoulder. “Besides, he wouldn’t go for you.”

Georgie wrinkles his nose. “He’s not exactly my type, anyway.”

“What is?” Cas asks, taking a bite of his apple.

“I like blue eyes.”

“Flirty today, are we?” Shawn teases.

“Down, boy,” Mikey adds. “Besides, the meeting’s about to start. Hush up.”

“Hello, all,” Ms. Bailey says, shooting a glare at a couple kissing on a desk. “Melodie! Michelle!”

They jump apart. “Sorry.”

“Thank you. For any newcomers, I am Ms. Bailey, and this is GSA. It’s completely confidential, totally judgement free, and a safe space for GLBT community members. We’ll do names, grades, pronouns, and sexuality, if you’re comfortable.” She nods to Mikey. “Why don’t you start?”

“Well, my name is Mikey, I’m a senior, I use male pronouns, and -” he kisses Shawn “- I’m gay.”

Shawn gives a little wave. “Hello. I’m Shawn, I’m a junior, I also use male pronouns, and I’m also gay.”

Georgie nods to the room. “Georgie. Junior. Male pronouns. Bisexual.”

Everyone turns to look at Cas. He swallows. “My name is Castiel, or Cas, if you’d prefer. I’m a freshman. I use male pronouns also, and I have no sexual preference. I suppose you could call it bisexuality.”

“I’m Melodie. I’m a sophomore, a girl, and a proud lesbian.” She kisses the cheek of the girl who must be -

“Michelle. I’m a senior. Female pronouns are fine. I’m lesbian.” She takes Melodie’s hand.

“My name is Sophia. I’m a sophomore. I use female pronouns. I’m a transgender girl, but if you ask anyone in the school, I’m a boy named Jack. I like boys.” She has white blonde hair which Cas finds oddly transfixing.

“I’m Maria. I’m a freshman, I use female pronouns, and I’m a les- a les- le -”

“It’s alright, sweetie,” Ms. Bailey says, patting her back. “My name is Ms. Bailey, as I said before. I teach math here. I am a proud woman, and I’m bisexual.” She puts an arm around Maria for a moment. “Today’s discussion topic is any problems you guys have been having at school.”

“The bathroom. Every day.” Sophia crosses her arms. “And the locker room, and - well, everything gendered.”

Everyone makes a sympathetic sound.

“Mikey and I nearly got caught,” says Shawn. “We were holding hands in the parking lot and he was about to kiss me when someone walked by. We jerked away, but…”

Everyone is silent for a moment. “Have you considered coming out?” Cas asks.

Everyone laughs, Georgie lightly hitting Cas’ knee. “Here? In Sioux Falls?”

Cas looks around the room. “This club is all fine and dandy, but nothing will change here if you don’t make it. I’d be willing to come out.”

“Cas, if you come out, it could mean getting thrown off the team,” Georgie says quietly, putting his hand on Cas’ knee. “You can’t do that.”

Cas looks down. “That isn’t fair.”

“No, and it’s not legal, either, but it’s the reality of this small town,” Ms. Bailey says. “I’m sorry, Cas.”

He sighs. “This is 1994, and it might as well be 1850.”

Everyone nods.

//

“Hey, Cas,” Dean says. “How was GSA?”

“Fine,” Cas says, fiddling with his pencil.

Dean leans closer. “Did he ask you out?”

“No, Dean. Will you leave it be?!” Cas crosses his arms. “Gosh.”

Dean laughs and pushes Cas lightly. “Okay, buddy. I’ll leave it be.”

“Thank you,” Cas grumbles. “But…it’s going to be weird seeing these people around now.”

Dean nods. “I mean, that’s to be expected. Who was there?”

“I won’t tell you unless you come.”

“If I come, then I’ll just see who’s there,” Dean points out.

“Exactly,” Cas says. “Come on, Dean. You’re not -”

“I am,” Dean says quietly. “I’m straight, Cas.”

Cas shrugs. “Okay, well, if you change your mind -”

“I know.” Dean bumps his shoulder. “Class?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

//

This time in the locker room, Cas watches Georgie more carefully. Georgie looks only down when he changes, but he sometimes glances up at Cas. He blushes when he makes eye contact.

When they get out on the ice, Dean and Cas do their passing warmup. Cas notices Georgie watching then, too. When Dean gives Cas the puck next, he tosses it back to Georgie, who barely catches it before skating up and joining their drill.

Dean grins at Cas and squirts water in his mouth. “Flirting?”

“No!”

“Sure, Cassie.”

Castiel raises his eyebrow at Dean. “Dean.”

Dean just chuckles. “It’s a little hard for you to intimidate me when you have cheeks so pink, Cas.”

Cas huffs and sits on the ice. Dean laughs and flops down next to Cas. Georgie fools around with Shawn. The coaches are sitting on a bench, discussing. Suddenly, one stands and blows his whistle. Dean and Cas jump up and skate over.

“Practice is over today,” he says. “We’re having an easy practice, because we know a lot of you have big assignments coming up soon. Tomorrow’s practice will be longer.”

Everyone meets eyes, surprised, but then begins to pick up and shuffle off the ice. The two coaches still discuss something, but one looks slightly frustrated.  
Dean shrugs it off and follows Cas off the ice.

“Hey, Georgie,” Dean says.

Cas nearly chokes next to him while taking off his shoulder pads.

“What’s up, Dean?”

“You wanna come over and study again tonight? Cas and I had a great time yesterday.” Dean smiles angelically.

Cas “accidentally” drops his skate on Dean’s leg. “Sorry.”

Dean laughs and hands it to him. “Whaddaya say, Georgie?”

Georgie nods, smiling. “Sounds great. Any specific time?”

“How about dinner?”

“Sure. See ya then.”

Cas is practically fuming next to Dean, but Georgie either doesn’t notice or ignores it as he makes his way out of the locker room, waving slightly. When Dean is done changing, Cas grabs him and drags him towards the doors of the school. Once they’re safely out of earshot, Cas says, “Dean, you are a horrible person.”

“What?” He smiles. “I’m just helping you two reach the inevitable easier.”

“Who ever said I wanted to date Georgie?” Cas rolls his eyes.

“Well, even if you don’t like him now, it could come with time,” Dean says, grabbing Cas’ hand. “Zap us away, Cas!”

Cas rolls his eyes. “Whatever,” he says as he brings them home. “I’m just saying, you’re seriously interfering. Besides, it’s not like Cupid’s set anything up for you and Lisa.”

Dean frowns. “What do you mean?” He shrugs his jacket off and hangs it.

“Couples are usually determined by Cupid’s mark. It’s a mark on their hearts, matching them to one other person.” Cas meets his eyes in a flat gaze. “It is not present on the hearts of either you or Lisa, currently, but, well, it’s a possibility, I suppose.”

“Cas,” Dean says, voice rough, “I don’t want to know about my future. I just want to finish high school.”

Cas puts his hand on Dean’s shoulder, simply holding his gaze.

“Georgie! Good to see you again,” Karen says, hugging the boy easily a foot taller than she. “Dinner’ll be on soon. Bobby’s driving Sammy back from practice now, and John is working on his car. You boys can go hang in your room for now, if you’d like.”

Dean instead turns to Cas and says, “Let’s go work with Dad on the Impala. Georgie, do you wanna come? I love cars.”

Cas laughs and follows Dean to where their coats hang. He pulls his on and hands Georgie’s coat to him, following Dean. John is in the old barn, where Bobby strung up lights to work on engines at night.

“Oh, Dean,” John says, sounding near pleased. “Can you grab me that wrench?”

Dean nods and hands it to him, pulling a stool up next to John and leaning into the hood of the Impala.

Cas watches for a moment and then turns to Georgie and says, “May I show you something?”

Georgie nods, and Cas leads the way to his second-favorite spot at Bobby’s house. Showing him the spot that he truly loves, the one only Dean really knows about, feels wrong somehow.

Cas leans against the railing of the bridge. In the dark, the river is black and you can only hear it frozen. The trees are cozied up in white, and the railing of the bridge has a thin coat of ice on it where snow melted and re-froze.

Georgie leans next to him, their forearms lining up so their hands brush. “It’s pretty out here,” he says softly.

Everything about this place is soft.

Cas nods slowly. “I like to go here to think.” He takes Georgie’s hand. “The bridge dates back to the early nineteen hundreds.”

Georgie laughs next to him, but it comes out as only a huff of air. “How do you know that?”

Cas shrugs. Georgie pulls him closer, so one arm is around Cas. “I looked it up when I found the bridge,” Cas says finally. “Dean says I’m a nerd, but he thinks this stuff is interesting, too.”

“So if you two aren’t related, why do you stay with his family?” Georgie tilts his head down slightly, and Cas can feel his breaths on his head.

This isn’t unpleasant, not at all. Georgie is warm and Cas feels protected, which is unusual, as he’s a protector.

“It’s quite a story.”

Georgie chuckles. “Well, can you condense it?”

Cas considers. “Well, Bobby isn’t technically Dean’s family. His mom died when he was four, and his dad’s a little unstable. But my family…knows Dean’s well, so to speak.”

“So why do you live with him if you have your own family?”

Cas considers. “You could call it an assignment. My family lives all over the world, and no one has heard from my father in a long time. My siblings sent me here.”

“How many siblings do you have?”

“Hundreds.”

Georgie laughs. “For real, how many?”

“Hundreds.” Cas shrugs. “But I’m only in contact with maybe twelve.”

“Are you all full siblings?”

Cas shakes his head. “No. My sister Anna and I are full siblings.”

“What’s she like?”

“Well, my family was mad at her for a long time, because she stopped obeying them. She’s dreamy and happy and stubborn and has fiery red hair. She’s a strong woman. She’s an amazing artist.” Cas shrugs. “My brother Gabriel is a prankster. He, too, fell out of favor with my family. I am closest to Gabriel and Anna.”

“Are you in favor with your brothers? The ones with the weird names?”

Cas laughs. “More or less. For now, at least.”

“Do they know about your sexuality?” Cas can feel Georgie’s eyes on the back of his head.

“My family is all, shall we say, queer.”

“Really? Wow.”

“Yes,” Cas says. He closes his eyes for a moment. “Dean is calling us. He says it’s dinner time.” Actually, Dean has recently discovered Cas can hear him if he prays to him. It’s his new favorite method of communication. Cas lets Dean know they’re heading in, and the two begin their trek back to the house.

“Where’d you lovebirds head off to?” Dean hisses.  
Cas shoves him into a conveniently located snowbank. Dean comes up grinning, and the three sit for dinner.


	7. Chapter 7

“I can’t believe it’s the end of the season!” Georgie groans. “Tomorrow is our last game.”

Cas leans his head back onto the wall. They each hold hands of cards. Dean somehow convinced Cas, Georgie, and Lisa that strip poker was a good idea. Fortunately, Cas has yet to lose any clothing.

Georgie has lost his shirt, and Cas notes, as he has so many times, the broad shoulders and hard lines, the scar running across his left pectoral from a childhood accident.  
Dean has also lost his shirt, and Cas knows if he glances at Dean for even a second, everyone will pale in comparison.

“The season has seemed short,” Cas says. “It is sad that it is coming to an end.”

“C’mon, Cas, loosen up,” Dean says. “Fold.”

“Fold,” Cas echoes.

“You always play so safe,” Georgie says, rolling his eyes.

“You and Dean - who’s next? You, Lisa?” He smirks. “Besides, I haven’t lost anything yet, have I?”

Lisa laughs. “I have no dog in this fight, Cas.”

Cas groans.

//

“Has anything happened between you two?” Dean asks later, when Lisa has gone home and Georgie is using the bathroom.

Cas shakes his head. “No more than holding hands on occasion.”

“And you don’t want to change that?”

He shakes his head again. “Not particularly. I don’t see any need to change what is good, or label what works.”

Dean shrugs. “Alright.”

Georgie slips back into the room. Cas and Dean scoot closer on the bed, making room for Georgie.

Dean winks at Cas as he turns over in their bed. The queen bed is perfectly spacious for Dean and Cas, but with Georgie, it feels tight. Cas isn’t sure if it feels so tight because there are three people in too small of a bed or if it’s because he’s sandwiched between the one he loves and the one he likes.

Soon, Dean is snoring and Georgie’s breaths are even. Cas worms out of bed, careful to wake neither boy, and snaps his fingers. A camping cot and pillow and fuzzy blanket appear, and Cas crawls on it. He figures a camping cot is easier to explain away than an entirely new bed.

//

Cas wakes in the middle of the night with Dean. Dean sits up after having reached for Cas. He glides over and puts a hand on Dean’s shoulder.

“What was it about?” he murmurs.

Dean grips Cas’ arms. “Mom,” he gasps. “And the same thing happening to Sammy.”

Cas nods. “I’m going to go get you a drink of water, okay?”

“I wanna come,” Dean says, getting out of bed.

Dean is silent as he follows Cas to the kitchen. Cas hands him a glass of water, and fills one for himself, watching as Dean downs it in three huge gulps. Cas sips at his.

“Will he die?” Dean asks, voice half-broken.

“Yes and no,” Cas says. “I guess it depends on your definition. Also…the future is changed, now, because of this.”

“Would he have?”

“A few times,” Cas says. “But he always came back to life. You even rescued him from Hell, Dean. Sam is lucky to have you, even if neither of you knows that yet.”

“What about Adam?” Dean sips from the freshly-filled glass of water.

“He was supposed to be killed by a ghoul, but his mother didn’t get sick in the other reality.”

“Why not?”

Cas stares at him with an unnerving look. “Zachariah instructed for someone to make her sick.”

Dean nods slowly and sets the glass aside. “What time is it?” he asks, walking toward the stairs.

“A little past three. Let’s get to bed.” Cas rests his hand on Dean’s shoulder when he pauses at the foot of the stairs. “Dean -”

“I can’t put this on you, Cas,” Dean says, wiping at his cheeks. “You’re not my father.”

“You’re right,” Cas says. “I’m your protector. But, Dean, you know I’m learning to - be like you, too.”

“What do you mean?” Dean asks, voice thick.

Cas considers. “Angels have no free will, no emotions,” he says. “I’ve been building my emotions for years, but I’ve taken leaps and hops since I’ve been with you.”

Dean chuckles. “Wrong idiom, Cas, but thanks.” He hugs the smaller boy. “I want my dad,” he says, voice tiny.

John comes into the room, meeting Dean’s eyes. “C’mere, kid,” he says gruffly.

Cas watches as Dean clings to his dad, sobbing quietly. This is one of the only times Cas has really seen John taking on the title of “father” to Dean. It shows up sometimes for Sam, but he’s younger and easier to parent.

John murmurs to Dean, who is unusually emotional tonight. Cas thinks it is the dream. None of Dean’s dreams are pleasant, but this one had Sam in it and that always upsets Dean.

“Are you gonna be okay, bud?” John asks, hand on Dean’s shoulder. Dean has quieted. “If you go upstairs with Cas, will you be okay?”

Dean nods. “Sorry, Dad,” he murmurs, looking anywhere but his dad’s face.

“Everyone gets upset sometimes. Go back to your sleepover, okay? I have to leave after your hockey game, but I’ll be back to pick you up for our trip.” John references the once or twice monthly trips the three of them take to hunt. Bobby has begun to come along, too, although he’s mostly good for researching. It means leaving Karen with Sam and Adam, but Sam’s near old enough to start using a gun and Karen’s become quite adept with knives and knife-throwing. You never know.

Dean nods and follows Cas up the stairs, but not until after John ruffles his hair.

Georgie shifts when the two of them enter the room again, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. “Where were you two?” he asks, voice slightly slurred by sleep. “It’s early.”

“We went to get water,” Cas says, getting onto the camping cot. Dean climbs back into his bed. “Good night, all.”

//

“Up, boys,” Bobby says, poking his head into the room. “Y’all need to come eat before you play your game. It’s a big one, today, right?”

“Yes, Bobby,” Cas says. “Today is our game against our rival school.”

“Well then, come eat some breakfast so you can beat ‘em!” With that, Bobby leaves.

Cas drags himself out of bed and pulls sweats and a tee shirt on. His vessel has grown some in the past months, and he and Dean wear the same size in nearly everything. Naturally, this means everything is now shared.

Cas feels Georgie’s eyes on him. The boy sits on the bed, wearing only a pair of athletic shorts. Cas smiles at him and pads out of the room, a pair of socks in his left hand and the sleeping bag and cot in his right.

“Do tell,” Bobby says drily, “where and how I suddenly obtained a new camping cot and sleepin’ bag?”

Cas narrows his eyes at the older man. “Where do you think you got it?”

Bobby roars out a laugh. “There’s the Cas sarcasm.”

Cas leaves the bag and cot. “Keep it, old man.”

Bobby stops laughing at that, instead pushing a plate of eggs, toast, and fruit into Cas’ hands. Bobby and Karen quickly discovered Cas wouldn’t touch pork, so they feed Dean sausage and bacon instead.

John comes into the house. Cas hadn’t even noticed him leave. He has a plastic bag in one hand. He reaches in and pulls out a leather-bound notebook out. He plops it in front of Dean.

“What’s this?” Dean asks, peering at it.

“A journal,” John says. “Start writing in it. Hunting, dreams, weapons, things you notice - everything.” He hands one to Bobby, too, and Cas. He ruffles Sam’s head and pulls out a smaller, wire-bound notebook. “You, too, buddy.”

Cas examines his as Dean does. “Do you keep a journal, Dad?”

“Dean, you’ve seen it,” Dad says, voice amused.

“Oh. Yeah.”

Georgie slips into the kitchen. Perhaps slips isn’t the right word. Dean and Georgie move much differently than Cas. It is probably something to do with the differences between their species. Also, Dean and Georgie are growing into bigger bodies and Cas is used to something twenty feet tall.

“Nice notebook, Sam,” Georgie says, ruffling the younger kid’s hair. “Where’s Adam?”

The toddler - not for too much longer - makes his way into the room and climbs onto Cas’ lap. He looks between Dean, Cas, and Georgie. “Daddy, is the blonde one gonna move in with us like Cas?”

John starts laughing loudly, and everyone at the table soon joins in.

“No, Adam, Georgie is not going to move in,” Cas says. “He’s my friend and Dean’s friend, and he just stayed the night.”

“Like Lisa?”

Dean coughs, and Cas kicks him. “Well, sort of.”

Adam grunts, unconcerned, and leans his head back against Cas’ shoulder while the angel eats.

//

When the puck rebounds off the end of Dean’s stick just right to go in in the last three seconds of the third period, Dean and Georgie and even Cas scream in joy until their voices are hoarse and grab each other in bone-crushing hugs.

“WE WON, BOYS!” Georgie wears only jocks, sleeves, and shinpads as he pulls a similarly unclothed Cas into a tight embrace. “WE WON!”

Cas squirms away and strips further, pulling clean(er) clothing on. “I’ll be outside,” he says to Dean. “You played very well, Georgie. Congratulations.” He stands outside the school, waiting for his charge. It’s pretty deserted out there.

Georgie comes out before Dean. He looks around and, when no one is there, leans close to Cas and kisses his cheek. “You played well, too,” he says, next kissing Cas’ forehead. Then he’s gone, leaving Cas staring after him when Dean finally comes out.

“What’s up, buddy?” Dean says, knocking his shoulder lightly.

Cas shakes himself out of it. “Nothing. It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

Dean frowns but shrugs. “Alright. You got any special plans tonight?”

Cas shakes his head. “Unless you’d like to come out for pizza with Georgie and I? You and Lisa?”

Dean shrugs. “If y’all want to do that, I’m open to it. We’d either have to take angel express or Georgie’d have to come pick us up, though.”

Cas sighs and calls Georgie’s home line. “Hello, is this Georgie?”

“Cas!?”

“Hey.”

“How’d you get my number?” Georgie still sounds flushed.

“It’s a long story. Are you busy tonight?”

Dean elbows Cas and hisses, “Stop sounding like every word is being cut out of you!”

Cas rolls his eyes and listens to the response from Georgie. “No, not really,” he says. “Why?”

“Well, I was wondering if you’d like to go for pizza? Dean and Lisa and we could go.”

Georgie is taken aback. “Uh, yes. Sure. Do you…want me to pick you up?”

“Sure.” He smiles. “Thank you, Georgie.”

“Sure. I can pick Lisa up on the way to your house and then pick you and Dean up.” He pauses. “Thanks, Cas, for calling. I thought you might be mad.”

“About what?”

“You know…”

Cas pauses and tries to think. “I am sorry, but I really cannot think of anything to be angry about.”

Georgie chuckles. “Okay, okay, I get it. You’re not mad about the kiss thing.”

“Why would I -”

“Cas,” Georgie half-groans. “I’ll see you at six, okay?”

“Thanks. Bye.”

“Bye, Cas.”

Cas cuts off the connection.

“How did you do that? Call his phone like that?”

Cas gives him a flat look. “Dean, I’m an angel.”

“Right.” Dean raises his eyebrows at Cas. “He likes you. Like, a lot.”

“Dean.”

“Cas.”

“Dean.”

“Cas.”

Cas groans and grabs Dean’s arm, bringing them home.

“Shower up, boys,” Karen says. “How was your game?”

“Good. We won off a shot in the last three seconds of the last period.” Dean grins. “Cas passed to Georgie, who shot, and I got the rebound and tipped it off.”

“Sounds great, boys,” she says. “Can one of you babysit tonight?”

They meet eyes. “What time?”

“Six thirty?”

Dean and Cas shake their heads. “We can be back by seven thirty,” Dean says. “We have plans at six.”

Karen sighs. “Alright. Sam and Bobby and I can leave at seven forty five. But I really need you back by seven thirty, alright?”

“Cool. Can Lisa and Georgie stay the night?” Dean asks.

Cas narrows his eyes, as does Karen.

She sighs. “Alright, but I don’t want any funny business, okay, Cas?”

He nods. “Of course.”

Dean grins at Cas, winking once. Then they head up the stairs, jostling slightly with each other. “Tonight’s gonna be great, man,” Dean says. “With Sammy at a game tomorrow, it’ll just be us and Adam, and Adam can nap.” He considers. “Can you put him to sleep so we don’t have to get up early?”

Cas laughs slightly and begins to undress. “I suppose.” He takes a towel and goes into the bathroom.

//

By the time Dean and Cas are showered, cleaned, and finished with their homework, it’s time for Georgie to pick them up. Dean convinced Cas to wear a more form-fitting long-sleeved blue sweater, claiming, “It matches your eyes!”

“Many human boys would accuse you of being homosexual now,” Cas had said.

The doorbell rings. Dean goes to get it while Cas puts his coat on. He doesn’t need one, but he blends in with the humans better if he wears one.

“Hey, baby,” he hears Dean murmur. Then he hears the sound of a soft kiss.

He turns the corner and runs right into Georgie, who laughs and grabs his arms. “Watch out there, Cas,” he says, a light twang in his voice when he says the angel’s name.

Cas chuckles and presses his face into Georgie’s shoulder, hugging him. “Hello, Georgie.”

Georgie kisses Cas’ forehead. “Hey.”

“‘S not fair,” Cas mutters.

“What?”

“You’re taller.”

Georgie laughs and pulls away from him. “Yes, Cas, I am.” He picks at the sleeve of the sweater Cas wears. “I like your sweater.”

“C’mon, lovebirds,” Dean says, opening the door and ushering them out.

“Jesus, Dean,” Georgie says.

Cas simply takes him by the ear, dragging him to the car amidst a chorus of sounds of displeasure from Dean. “You shouldn’t have,” he says simply, depositing him in the backseat. “I am not a force to be reckoned with, Dean Winchester. John already learned the hard way.”

Dean scowls and mutters something about embarrassing him in front of his girlfriend.

“Dean, you embarrass yourself in front of her,” Cas says, sitting in the front seat. He shoots Dean a grin. “I just made myself look better.”

“Fucking angel,” Dean mutters, though he smiles back.

Georgie slides into the driver’s seat and Lisa squeezes in next to Dean, kissing his cheek.

“Karen, Bobby, and Sam will be away tonight and tomorrow,” Cas mentions. “They have allowed us to have you two over tonight, if you would like.”

“Yeah, that sounds fun,” Lisa says. “I’ll call my parents.”

Georgie nods. “I will, too.” He shifts gears and pulls into a pizza joint. “This one’s my favorite,” he says, a little shy.

“Sounds good to me. C’mon, guys.” Dean is out of the car in a flash, always hungry. Everyone orders and sits, and then Dean stands to go to the bathroom, Georgie getting up not long after.

“Does he know?” Lisa asks, eyes strangely calm.

“Know what? Who?”

“Well, does Georgie know you’re an angel, and does Dean know you’re gay for him and not Georgie?”

Cas raises his eyebrows. “That is a large question. And no, Georgie doesn’t know. And I’m not gay for either of them. I’m not gay at all. I’m a genderless angel.” He looks down. “Besides, this…thing with Georgie could be good for me.”

“Cas, you gotta tell him you’re not human,” she says.

“Why?”

“It’s not fair to lie to him like this,” she says. “I would be extremely angry if Dean had hidden his hunting from me.”

Cas reaches out and touches her temple, showing her images of angels being killed by humans and humans being scared of things unlike them. When Dean rejoins them, he touches Dean’s temple, too, showing him the same images.

“Don’t tell him, Cas,” Dean says, hand on Cas’ shoulder.

“Do you think he could understand?” Cas asks.

Dean shakes his head slowly. “Sorry, buddy.”

Cas frowns. “Can I check?”

“Check what?” Georgie slides into the booth next to Cas.

“Nothing,” Cas mutters. “Just Winchester stuff.”

Georgie shrugs and rubs his hands together. “I love pizza.”

“Not more than Dean,” Cas says. “That boy loves food more than anyone I know.”

“Sam?”

“Yes, he loves food, but he does not yet have the capacity to eat the amount you do,” Cas says, grinning.

Cas notices when Georgie shifts slightly to be a little closer to him, and Dean notices too. Cas and Dean lock eyes, their silent communication recognized by both of the other parties at their table but understood by neither.

After a bit, Dean nods and looks away.

The waiter brings their pizza. “I have…veggie, meat lover’s, pepperoni, peppers, and banana peppers, and cheese.”

“Meat lover’s over here,” Dean says grinning.

“I have the pepperoni,” says Lisa.

“I have the cheese,” Georgie says.

“And that leaves the veggie for you, then.” They place it in front of Cas.

“Thank you,” Cas says, picking the slice up.

Cas nibbles at his slice of pizza as the other humans eat. He’s barely a quarter done when he notices Dean eyeing his slice. He must be really hungry if he wants Cas’ veggie pizza. Sighing, Cas hands it over, and Dean digs in.

“Cas!” Georgie says. Then, “Dean!”

“Whaff?”

“That’s Cas’ dinner!”

Cas laughs. “It’s fine. I’m not very hungry. I ate before we came here. Foolish, I know.”

Dean nods. “He did. And I’m really hungry.” He takes another enormous bite.

Georgie shakes his head and takes another bite, too.

//

“So, what do you guys want to do?” Dean says as they drive back. They’ve picked up the necessary items from the houses of Lisa and Georgie, and both sets of parents have given consent for their children to stay the night.

“Movie,” Lisa suggests.

“Which one?”

“A horror movie!” Dean exclaims.

“You just want that so you can cuddle with Lisa,” Cas says, frowning at Dean.

“So?!”

“And besides, we shouldn’t watch anything bad, not with Adam in the house.”

Dean groans. “Cas, he’s a little kid. We can put him to bed and do whatever we want.”

“No, Dean. Something nicer.”

Dean groans again. “Fine. How about Angels in the Outfield? That came out on VHS recently and I think Bobby has a copy.”

“That sounds much more appropriate,” Cas says, shooting Dean an approving look.

Dean crosses his arms.

“You can still cuddle with me, stupid,” Lisa says, kissing his cheek.

“Alright, well, we’re here,” Georgie says, killing the engine. Dean and Lisa slide out, but Georgie’s hand on Cas’ arm stops him from getting out of the car. He kisses Cas’ cheek, hand on his other cheek. “I had fun.” He kisses his cheek again. “But eat when we get inside, alright? I can watch Adam for a little bit.”

Cas smiles at Georgie. “I’m really not hungry.”

“Cas -”

“I’ll eat, Georgie,” Cas says, voice amused. “You don’t need to take care of me.”

“You’re always taking care of everyone else, Cas, how could anyone ever care for you?”

Cas looks him in the eyes. “You’ve been watching.”

“Since I first met you,” he admits.

Cas leans in and kisses Georgie’s cheek. “Let’s head inside.”

They two walk in, Georgie carrying the bags. Cas hangs his coat on the hooks.

Sam comes racing in, barreling into Cas. Cas laughs and hugs the fifth-grader. “Sorry I cannot see your game, Sam,” he says.

“It’s okay. Could you give me some more Latin books to study on the way?” he asks, grinning at him. “I finished that first one. And could you give me a book on Enochian?”

“Hm.” Cas considers. He leads Sam to his room, kneeling before the bookshelf. “Here’s the next one in Latin. Not all of this will be useful, but I think you should have a wide knowledge, not just Latin for hunting.” He taps his chin. “As for Enochian…there are no textbooks, nor are we really supposed to share the knowledge, but I could create one.” He closes his eyes and holds out his hand. A book appears in it. “Try this. Enochian will be too difficult for you to master, but you can get relatively good if you study hard.” He ruffles Sam’s hair. “Good luck tomorrow, Sam. Study in the car!”

Georgie leans on the doorframe. “Latin for hunting? Enochian? What, are you all witches?”

“No, but there are Latin prayers for hunting,” Cas says. “And Enochian is my native tongue.”

“Can you say something in it?”

Cas swallows. “No.”

“Why not?”

“It’s painful to hear,” Dean says, coming in. “Sounds nasty. Besides, Cas has got some serious issues with home and Enochian. C’mon, guys. They’ve left and Adam wants you to put him to bed, Cas.”

“Cas should eat first.”

“I’ll make him a sandwich. Cas has to put Adam down, or he won’t sleep right.” Dean shoves him towards the toddler sucking his thumb in the living room.

Cas holds his arms out to the toddler. Adam races into them, and Cas lifts him onto his hip. “Hey, Adam,” he says, rubbing the sleepy toddler’s back.

“Pumme to bed?”

“Yes, I’ll put you to bed,” Cas says, walking to Adam’s room. “Have you brushed your teeth yet, Adam?”

He nods sleepily.

“Okay.” Cas lays him in the crib, noting that he needs a new bed soon. He murmurs a prayer in Enochian, kisses the toddler’s forehead, and uses a touch of his Grace to put Adam to sleep. “Good night, Adam.”

He exits the room and pads down to the kitchen. Dean hands him a sandwich and grabs popcorn from the microwave. “C’mon. Lisa’s setting up the movie.”

“Good to see you have a sandwich,” Georgie says, patting the seat beside him. Dean plops on the other end of the couch, and Lisa is finishing setting up the movie.  
Cas chuckles and takes a bite of the PB&J. “I’m really not -”

“Just eat it.”

Cas chuckles and bites down. Lisa starts the movie and plops down next to Dean.

Cas finishes the sandwich quickly, licking his sticky fingers. He notices Georgie’s eyes on him and turns an angelic eye towards him, so he can spy without Georgie knowing. Georgie has a partial erection, something Cas finds mildly amusing and mildly…well, attractive. Cas puts his head on Georgie’s shoulder, hand going to rest on Georgie’s thigh. The narrator of the movie is speaking, but every nerve of Castiel’s being is focused on the human beside him.

The front door slams. Cas jumps. It’s another angel.

“My, my, little brother,” Gabriel says. “Human boys?”

Cas reddens and shoves Georgie away. “Why are you here, Gabriel?”

“I was sent. You and Dean got a minute?”

Dean and Cas meet eyes and simultaneously walk towards the kitchen.

“Why are you here, Gabriel?” Castiel repeats, a hint of a growl in his voice.

“Why are you getting emotionally attached?”

“Angels have no emotions.” Castiel’s voice becomes flat like his siblings’.

Gabriel drops his bravado. “It’s just you and me, Castiel. And Dean. We both know you’re developing emotions. You’re not the only one.” He holds out his hand and an image of a little girl with a mother appears. “I’ve found someone I love, too.” Gabriel puts his hand on Cas’ shoulder. “I know that human boy isn’t your one, but go for it, kid. Dad never wanted us to be emotionless.”

“You can says that,” Cas grumbles. “You’re an archangel.”

“Anyway,” Gabriel says. “They’re happy with Dean’s progress. See to it that he and Sam hunt and so on and so forth. Don’t let Adam die. Blah blah blah. Night, kids. Have fun, but not too much fun.” He ruffles Cas’ already-messy hair. “Go get ‘em, tiger.”

Cas rolls his eyes and pushes out of the kitchen. “No smiting, Gabriel.” He curls back up with Georgie on the couch.

Georgie pulls Cas close and puts an arm around him, hand absently rubbing at his side. “Your family okay with this?”

Cas nods. “My family understands God’s true will. Gabriel was merely surprised I had found somebody.”

“Why did he call me a human boy?”

Cas’ nose wrinkles. “Long-standing family joke.”

“About bestiality?”

Castiel laughs. “No.” He presses his nose into Georgie’s chest, inhaling the odd mixture of cinnamon and musk. It’s odd but he kind of loves it. “Tell me something about…you.”

He doesn’t answer right away. “I don’t know. I’m an open book.”

Cas shifts his hand to touch the bare skin of Georgie’s forearm to get a better read on his emotions and memories. “Your favorite colors are grey and orange, but you always say blue. You’ve known you were queer since you were in the fourth grade. You -”

“How do you know this stuff?”

Cas smiles, praying he didn’t go too far. “I’ve been watching, too.”

Georgie pulls him even closer. “Sweet,” he mutters. “I have to say, I thought you were into Dean.”

Cas sighs. “Dean is not into me.”

“But do you like him?”

“It doesn’t matter, does it? But no, not anymore.” Cas grimaces. “Even if we both…John would never let his son date a boy.”

Georgie stretches his legs out behind Cas and encourages Cas to lie parallel to him. Cas looks for Dean and Lisa, only to find that they’re gone. Probably to the shared bedroom. Cas wrinkles his nose. He’s definitely washing the sheets tomorrow.

Georgie’s arm slips around his waist. “They’re fine, Cas. Just relax.”

Cas lets himself be snuggled by Georgie. Georgie really seems to want to care for him. It’s foreign feeling, mostly. Gabriel watches out for him, but he’s barely present. Most of the other angels don’t even know he’s still alive.

Dean cares about him, too, but in a different way - Dean is fiercely protective, but he’s a bit emotionally - what was the word? Constipated?

Cas turns over on the couch, even though it means turning away from the tv. He snuggles closer to Georgie, looping his arms around the other boy’s waist.

//

He wakes to a clank in the kitchen. He and Georgie are still cuddled up on the couch, Georgie’s nose pressed into Cas’ hair.

Cas uses his Grace to extract himself and pads to the kitchen. Dean and Lisa are in there.

“Dude,” Dean says, chortling, “you fell asleep cuddling with Georgie. In all of your clothes.”

Cas scowls at him and reaches for a bowl and the Lucky Charms. “Shut up, Dean. Need I bleach the sheets as well as wash them?”

Dean scowls right back, but he can’t keep the smile off his face for long. Then he takes the Lucky Charms from Cas before he can pour himself a bowl.

“Hey!”

“I’m going to make breakfast,” Dean says. “Why don’t you go get your boyfriend and Adam up?”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Cas grumbles, leaving the kitchen.

“Wow, touchy.”

Cas walks to the couch and shakes Georgie’s shoulder. “C’mon, get up. If you want to shower or anything, you can use our bathroom.” He points down the hall. “I’ve got to go get Adam.” He walks up the stairs, ignoring the hurt in Georgie’s eyes at his gruff treatment.

The toddler is solidly sleeping in his crib, the touch of Grace Cas left soothing his soul. He removes the Grace and the toddler snaps awake, reaching out for Cas immediately. Cas carries him to the bathroom.

“Bathtime,” he says. “Do you need to potty?”

Adam nods, still a little sleepy. Cas sets him on the toilet and begins to fill the bath. He tests its temperature with one hand and undresses Adam fully with a snap of the other, the room beginning to smell slightly of Cas’ Grace. Cas lifts Adam from the toilet and sets him in the bath. He pours water over the little boy’s head and washes him clean, wrapping him in a fluffy towel and carrying him back to his shared room. He lets Adam dry himself off and puts his pajamas in the hamper. Adam picks his clothes out and Cas helps him get dressed before putting the towel in the hamper also and the toddler onto his hip.

Cas can smell bacon, eggs, and pancake batter. Maybe pancakes, maybe waffles. Though Adam is mostly awake, his soul is still searching for the peace from the Grace. Therefore, he’s a little groggy.

“Adam!” Dean ruffles his hair. “Hey, tyke. You seem sleepy.”

Adam turns his head into Cas’ shoulder.

“Grace,” says Cas, and Dean understands.

“Well, Adam, I made you a Mickey Mouse pancake,” Dean says, putting a plate with eggs, a strip of bacon, and a blueberry Mickey Mouse-shaped pancake on it.  
Cas sets Adam in his booster and lets him look at the pancake before putting syrup on it and cutting it into bite-sized pieces for him.

Dean hands Cas a plate for Georgie and then Lisa. Then Cas takes over and makes pancakes for Dean, another plate for Georgie, and another pancake for Lisa, before sitting down with his own stack of pancakes.

Dean absent-mindedly kisses Adam’s head. “What do you want to do today, bud?” He begins to cook another set of pancakes.

“Park,” Adam says. “I want Cas and you take me to the park.”

“We can do that,” he says. “Is it okay if Lisa and Georgie are there?”

Adam takes a bit of pancake, shrugging. Dean takes that to mean yes.

Georgie hesitates. “I have to be home soon,” he says.

“I can take you home from the park, Lisa,” Cas says, smiling.

“Cool, then,” Dean says, beginning to dishes. “Cas, you wanna walk Georgie to his car?”

“Sure,” Cas says, handing Dean his plate.

Georgie gathers up his stuff, gripping the strap of his bag. Cas kisses his cheek, but Georgie doesn’t move.

“Cas, I -”

“Did I do something wrong?” Cas moves away quickly, until he’s hit the railing of the porch.

Georgie moves closer until he can hold Cas’ cheeks in both hands. He’s set down his bag and his eyes - blue, like Cas’, not green - are focused directly on Cas’.

“No, no, you didn’t do anything,” Georgie says. “I just - school. Hockey. Baseball, soon.”

Cas hugs him. “Don’t worry about it. No one needs to know. Dean won’t tell, and Lisa’s just glad it’s you and not Dean.”

Georgie nods slowly. “Alright. GSA?”

“I’ll be there.”

He laughs. “No, I meant - will we?”

“Oh. I don’t know. Do you - want to?”

Georgie shrugs.

Cas nods. He understands. “We will cross that fork in the road when we get to it.”

“Bridge, Cas,” Georgie says, eyes crinkling. “By the way, I heard you murmuring to Adam in Enochian.”

Cas scratches his head. “Um…”

“It was sweet.” Georgie kisses his head and goes down the porch.

//

“Dean, you must come.” Cas crosses his arms, bagged lunch in one hand (enough for him and Dean).

“Cas, I’m not going. I can’t.”

“Oh? And why is that?” Cas raises his eyebrow in the perfect condescending look.

“I’m straight.”

Cas laughs. “Dean, why do you lie to me?”

“I’m not -”

Cas reaches out and touches Dean’s temple, relaying memories and emotions and something that looks suspiciously like an older Dean and a man having sex. “Dean. Do not lie.”

Dean huffs, defeated. “Fine. Do you have lunch?”

Cas smiles, pulling him towards the GSA room. He pulls Dean to sit on the same group of desks as he and Georgie and Mikey and Shawn sit. He goes right for Georgie, hugging the boy and bumping fists with the other two on the desks.

“I KNEW THEY WERE DATING!” Melodie yells. “They live together. They’re so gay.”

Dean turns bright red. Like, really red. Cas hasn’t ever seen him that color. “We’re not dating,” he says. “I’m dating Lisa.”

“Oh. Um, okay.” Melodie sits back. “Not too long, then.”

That prompts Georgie to pull Cas close - almost onto his lap. Cas snuggles close, and Melodie puts a hand over her mouth.

“Oh,” she says. “I guess I was wrong.”

Dean just digs at the lunch bag Cas packed. “Cas, did you pack an apple?” he asks.

“No, but there are two bananas,” Cas says, taking one of them.

Dean rolls his eyes. “Cas.”

Cas stares back at him. “Yes? Bananas are a great source of potassium.”

Dean rolls his eyes, groaning. “You’re so clueless, Cas.”

“Can I have a bite?” Georgie asks, focusing on the banana.

Cas offers it to him and then takes a bite afterwards. Ms. Bailey walks in and raises an eyebrow. “Another couple?” She shakes her head. “Jesus bless your souls.” She sits on a desk. “The regular crew and… Dean Winchester, is that you?”

Dean ducks his head. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Things I never thought I’d see: Georgie and Castiel cuddling and Dean Winchester in GSA.” She shakes her head again. “Looks like today is a blessed day, people.” To everyone, she says, “Hello. I am Ms. Bailey. This is GSA. We’ll share our names, grades, pronouns, and, if you’re comfortable, sexualities. I’m Ms. Bailey. I’m a teacher, and I’m a bisexual woman.” She runs a hand through short hair. “I’m also very frazzled, so I’m going to leave after intros and go grade papers.”

“I’m Mikey. Gay guy.”

Shawn puts his head on Mikey’s lap. “My boyfriend here is antisocial today. My name’s Shawn, and I’m also a gay guy.”

“My name’s Dean. Cas dragged me here. I’m, uh, a bisexual, I guess. And I’m definitely a guy.”

Cas rolls his eyes at Dean and shoves him slightly. “Fragile masculinity,” he mutters. “My name is Cas, and, as I’ve said before, I have no sexual preference, nor do I have a gender preference, but my…body is male and I do not object to that.”

Georgie noses at Cas’ hair. “Georgie. Bisexual. Male pronouns.” He takes the banana peel from Cas and pulls him in between his legs, arms wrapped around his waist.  
Meanwhile, Mel and Michelle have given names and sexualities. Sophia is up now, talking about being trans but not outside of GSA.

“I’m Maria. I’m a lesbian.”

Maria has been coming for six or so weeks now, and this is the first time she was able to say the word. Mikey claps, giving her a big smile.

“Well, all of you are just adorable, but I have to go grade.” Ms. Bailey walks towards the door. “And no sex.”

//

“Dude,” Phil says, eyes sparkling. “Let’s play punch tag.” He punches Georgie. “GEORGIE’S IT, EVERYONE!”

Everyone scatters. Cas sees Georgie lunging toward him, and he bolts for the trees, laughing. Cas trips over a root - and then Georgie does the same only a moment later - and they go tumbling down the slight hill, Georgie landing underneath Cas. Cas laughs and helps him up, pulling a twig from his hair.

Georgie puts a hand on his cheek, getting closer. Then they hear the sounds of people scrambling up the ridge, yelling for them. He draws his hand back and punches Cas in the eye.

Cas doubles over, and Georgie runs away. Cas can feel the blood rushing to his eye, and he resists the urge to heal himself. Dean comes running down, pulling Cas’ hands away and examining his eye.

“Oh, man, Cas,” Dean says. “I’m sorry, buddy. Why’d he do it?”

Cas rubs a hand over his jaw, straightening and looking in the direction Georgie had run sadly. “People started coming over the ridge when he had his hands on my face,” he says flatly, gently prodding at his eye.

“I can get him back,” Dean offers, running a hand through Cas’ hair.

Cas shakes his head. “Let’s just get our bags and go home.”

“Something like this was bound to happen,” Dean says, following Cas up the ridge.

“I know,” says Cas. “That’s why it hurts. Not physically.”

“At least you’re feeling emotion,” Dean points out, grabbing their bags and shouldering both of them as they ignore the mass of boys playing punch tag.

Cas turns to face Georgie, who watches them, not making eye contact. He sighs and turns away, pulling Dean with one hand until they’re in a hidden place and bringing them home. He can feel his eye swelling.

“You could heal it,” Dean points out when he touches it on the porch.

“Georgie’ll notice tomorrow,” Cas says, walking in and taking off his bag and then coat.

“Cas, what happened to your eye?” Karen takes his face in her hands, peering at the bruising eye.

Cas scowls. “Stupid humans.” Then he grabs his bag and goes up the stairs, leaving Karen staring after him, shocked.

Dean looks between Cas and the stairs. “Someone hit him,” he says, going up the stairs two at a time. He gets to the door before Cas has it locked, fortunately. “Cas.”

“I don’t know what I’m feeling, Dean,” Cas says. “I am frustrated at not understanding.”

Dean sits on the bed. “It’s probably betrayal, Cas.”

“How has he betrayed me?”

“There are a million other things he could have done, but he hit you.” Dean scratches his head. “Speaking of that, do you want an ice pack? I think it’ll help.”

“Thanks, Dean,” Cas says.

Dean smiles. “No problem, Cas. I sulk so much, it’s only fair you get the chance occasionally.” He winks at the angel and disappears. Cas lays back, looking out the window. Dean is taking a long time.

He feels the pressure of an ice pack against his eye, and Dean is right - it does take the edge off.

“Why are you here?” Cas says.

A weight settles onto the bed, followed by Dean’s familiar weight. “Cas, I -”

“You punched me. In the face.” Cas doesn’t look towards Georgie.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why did you do it, then?” Cas brings his free hand up to his hair. “Why, Georgie?”

“I was scared, alright?” Georgie whispers. “I was scared that they would see me with you like that.”

Cas sits up against the bedframe, finally making one-eyed eye contact with Georgie. He takes the ice pack off. “Take a look,” he says.

“Cas…” Dean says, patting his knee. “I understand where he’s coming from. Of course, he reacted horribly and I’m pissed that he hit you, but…I get it. You can’t come out here.”

Cas sighs. “What do you want me to do?” He closes his eyes and leans back.

Georgie’s hand brushes at his jaw. “I’m sorry, Cas.”

Cas throws himself into Georgie, hugging him. “Don’t do it again,” he mumbles, pressing his face into his chest.

Georgie wraps his arms around Cas. “I’m so sorry,” he murmurs. Neither of them notices Dean leave, closing the door behind him.

Later, when Cas has fallen asleep and Georgie is slipping out of the room, Dean stops him. “Never again,” Dean says, eyes flashing a warning.

“Yeah, man, I said I was sorry, alright?” Georgie says, rubbing his eyes.

“You don’t understand. Cas’ family - it’s, well, it’s kinda bad. It took Cas a long time to open up like he is now. You hurt him, and he’ll revert.”


	8. Chapter 8

“Hey,” Georgie says, pecking Cas’ cheek. “What are you doing this weekend?”

Cas gives him a guilty look.

“Oh,” he says, sighing. “Hunting? Where are you going?”

“Kansas,” Cas says. “I’m sorry, Georgie.”

“No, I understand,” Georgie says, kissing his forehead lightly. “I’m sad, but I understand. You know, baseball tryouts are Monday. You’ll be back for them, right?”

“I’m not that good at baseball…” Cas says, but he knows he can play if he must. He’s an angel.

“Try out,” Georgie says. “I’m a pitcher. So is Dean. Maybe you could catch for us.”

“Maybe,” he says.

Georgie smiles and takes his hands. “You’ll be brilliant.”

Cas licks his lips, and Georgie’s eyes flick down. Cas leans in and kisses his cheek. “I have to go,” he says. “I’m picking Sam up today. John is working and Bobby has a doctor’s appointment.”

Georgie hugs him, and Cas leaves.

//

“C’MON, DAD!” Dean yells. “WE’RE READY.”

“Settle down, Dean,” John says, coming out. “We’ll be on our way soon.”

“I wanna go now,” Dean groans.

“I can take us closer,” Cas offers.

“No, part of the experience is the long road trip,” Dean says immediately.

Cas sighs. “Alright, I suppose. But if this hunt takes too long, I’m bringing you back here.”

“What for?”

“School.” Cas scratches his arm.

“Fine. Then no interfering,” he says.

Cas frowns. “What do you mean?”

“Dad and I will figure things out, even if you know them. I need to be better.”

Cas crosses his arms. “I will not cease protecting you.”

Dean grins and hops in the backseat of the Impala. “No, of course not.”

John gets in the front, throwing a duffel on the passenger seat. Cas and Dean have a shared duffel in the trunk, over the box of weapons, and a shared backpack up here with them. They’re buckled in, but twisted so as to face one another. John chuckles as he pulls out of the driveway. The two are already deep in conversation. Something about school and Dean’s girlfriend. The conversation isn’t of much interest to John, so he turns on the radio, letting rock pour in and smiling.

//

They’re on I-29, in the middle of nowhere. There are no cars. Dean leans forward. “Dad, can I drive? Please?”

John considers. “Alright. I’ll pull over up here. Cas, let us know about cops?”

Cas nods and John gets into the passenger seat, Dean taking the wheel. Dean is not a bad driver. He’s careful and safe, but not too slow. Cas watches as Dean navigates down the road with relative ease, humming along to ad AC/DC song. Cas relaxes almost imperceptibly and leans back in the seat.

“C’mon, Cas, get up,” Dean says softly, pulling the backpack from the backseat. “We’re here.”

“I’m sorry, did I fall asleep?” Cas says, rubbing his eyes.

Dean chuckles and helps him out of the car. “Yes, Cas.”

“That is unusual,” Cas says, yawning.

Dean laughs and carries their backpack in one hand and their duffel in the other. Cas touches his temple and flies them into the room, slipping his shoes, jeans, and shirt off and flopping onto the bed to continue his nap.

“He won’t be of much help, will he?” John asks, opening the door the normal way.

Dean looks at the smaller boy and nods, chuckling. “No, Dad, I don’t think he will."

“Shame.” John pulls out his journal, and Dean does the same. “Do you know what we’re hunting?”

“Well, a few people have turned up dead, all after living in this one house,” Dean says, pointing to a newspaper clipping. “Angry spirit?”

“Most likely,” John says. “Could be a few, because only two of the victims were killed in the same way.”

“Creative ghost?”

“Most likely not. Tomorrow morning, you and Cas can research the building and I’ll go check it out.” John puts his hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Salt and sigil the room. I’m going to go get groceries.”

“Yes, sir,” Dean says, getting the materials out of John’s hunting duffel. John nods to his son and leaves.

//

Dean is sigiling the door when Cas wakes up, sitting up with hair messier than normal, even. He looks adorable, in Dean’s opinion. He rubs a hand over his belly, yawning. “Want help?”

Dean nods. “There’s more sigiling stuff over there.” He gestures to John’s bag with his paintbrush. Cas grabs stuff and joins him at the doorjamb.

“Where is John?” Cas asks, voice still slurred with sleep.

“Getting food,” Dean says, concentrating on getting the sigil right.

“Okay. After he gets back, you two should call home. I can cook.”

“You should call Georgie,” Dean teases.

Cas shoots him an annoyed look. “You should call Lisa.”

Dean laughs. “Alright. I’ll call Lisa if you call Georgie.”

“After you,” Cas says, still frowning.

Dean sets the paintbrush down and crosses to the phone, dialing. Cas watches, sigiling with one hand.

“Hey, this is Dean. Is Lisa home?” He pauses. “Alright, thanks.” He waits again. “Hey, babe.”

 _Hi, Dean._ Cas feels a little bad, listening in like this, but he knows Dean would, too.

“How are you?”

_Good, just doing work. You? How’s the trip?_

“Great. Look, babe, Dad’s going to be getting back soon. I’ll call you tomorrow.” He blows a kiss into the phone and winks at Cas. Then he hangs up and picks his paintbrush up. “Okay, Cas, it’s your turn now.”

Cas sighs and sets his paintbrush down, dialing Georgie’s home number slowly. His heart thuds as the phone rings - once, twice, thrice - and is finally picked up. “Hello,” Cas says. “This is Cas. Is Georgie home?”

“Who are you, his fag?”

“No, sir, I’m just a friend from school. Is Georgie home?”

“GEORGIE!”

Cas jumps at the sudden, loud noise in his ear. Then there’s a rustling.

“Hello?”

“Hello. It’s Cas.” Cas scratches his head, suddenly aware of Dean watching him. “Dean, watch what you’re doing, not me” he snaps.

Cas hears Georgie laugh on the phone. “Hey, Cas. Sorry about my uncle. He’s staying with us for a bit.”

“He asked if I was your…‘fag,’ I believe,” Cas says. “I said no.”

“Sorry, Cas,” Georgie says. “How’s the hunting trip?”

“Well, we just got here,” Cas says. “John is getting some food.”

“Well, what are you gonna do?”

“Dean and I will probably spar, with each other and with John.” Cas considers. “Hunting, of course, and some research. And we’ll fill out our journals. John is practiced and precise. He’s a good hunter.”

Georgie sighs. “I sure wish my dad would take me hunting. He works a lot.”

“He does it for you,” Cas says softly. “I have not spoken to my father since I was young. He is no longer around.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Sorry about your dad. Dean mentioned your home life wasn’t great.”

Cas considers. “My siblings are difficult,” he says. “I do not like some of them. But I love Anna.”

Georgie is silent for a moment, and then he laughs. “You know, you’re complicated,” he says. “You almost never speak about yourself. You’re like an onion.”

Cas frowns. “I do not understand how I am similar to a vegetable.”

“The layers, Cas,” Georgie says, laughing again.

“Oh.” Cas considers. “I suppose that is more comparable.” He lets out a little huff. “Are you doing anything else this weekend?”

Georgie considers. “No, not really.” He shuffles around. “Just going shopping. I’ve grown out of my pants again.”

Cas laughs. “I’m sorry.”

“Soon it’s time for shorts, anyway, so that’ll be easier.”

“Yes, that is true. Dean and I both wear jeans most of the time, though.” Cas runs a hand through his hair. “John will be getting back soon. I have to help Dean.” He lowers his voice. “It was nice speaking to you, Georgie.”

“You, too, Cas. I’m glad you called. I already miss you.”

“Bye, Georgie.”

“Bye, Cas.”

Cas scowls at Dean as he sets the phone down. “Happy?”

Dean grins at him and holds his paintbrush down. “You two are cute.”

“Shut up,” Cas grumbles. He returns to his painting. “John is pulling up in the Impala,” he notes.

They back away from the door. John knocks once, then four times, then thrice. Dean opens the door and lets him in, closing it to finish painting sigils with Cas.

“I got Lucky Charms,” John says.

Dean’s hand tightens around the brush. “Alright.”

Cas bumps Dean’s elbow with his own, sending a touch of Grace.

Dean relaxes slightly.

//

Dean flops onto Cas, meaning to flop onto the bed. They laugh and separate, but one of Dean’s legs stays thrown over Cas’ legs, and he puts his head on Cas’ shoulder. Why does Dean do this?

Dean looks up at Cas. “I love hunting,” he murmurs. “Can’t wait ‘til Sam can come.”

Cas meets his eyes. “Sam is still young.”

“I started when I was twelve.”

“Shut up, will you?” John snaps. “Go to sleep.”

Dean tenses, and Cas puts a hand on his head, soothing him with Grace. Dean falls asleep like that, and Cas watches him for a little while before forcing himself to sleep.

//

Cas wakes to John getting up. It’s early. Dean is still sleeping, cuddling with Cas. Cas worms his way out of the bed before John can see and goes to the bathroom, brushing his teeth and getting in the shower. He pulls a clean pair of jeans and a tee shirt on and relinquishes the bathroom to John. Cas makes pancake batter and wakes Dean up. He begins making pancakes and starts a pan of eggs, too. This motel kitchen is surprisingly well-stocked.

//

Cas watches as Dean and John make their way through the haunted house. He never interferes unless Dean is in danger. He can sense the ghosts, who are being careful because they sense that an angel is here. John finds the bones of one of the ghosts and begins to salt and burn them, Dean on the lookout. The ghost lets them do it, but there are still two others.

“These will be more difficult,” John says. “They were cremated, so something of theirs is still in the house.” He begins to look around the house, EMF sensor bleeping every so often. When he finds the part of the next ghost - a lock of hair in a picture frame - the ghost comes at them, but Dean stabs it with an iron poker. John burns the hair, and they search for the last connection to the ghost. The next ghost apparently decides Cas is not enough of a threat, so he goes at Dean and John. John throws salt at him, but is thrown against a wall. Dean tries to stab him with the poker, but he, too, is thrown against the wall. Cas does not intervene just yet. John stands and successfully dispels the ghost, running and leaving Dean. Cas helps Dean up. Dean sets off after John, and Cas follows more slowly. They come to see the ghost with its hands around John’s throat. Dean grabs the lighter from his pocket and sets the baseball mitt in John’s hand aflame. The ghost vanishes, and John flops to the ground, unconscious. Cas sets a hand on his shoulder, healing him enough to get him up, and helps him up.

“You okay, Dad?”

“Yes, son.” John nods at Cas.

“You shouldn’t have left Dean on the ground like that,” Cas says. “It put him in danger.”

“I was trying to stop the ghost, so he wouldn’t be in even more danger,” John says, eyes flashing.

Cas glares at him and opens his mouth to say more when Dean steps in. “It’s fine. Let’s just go home.”

“Would you like me to take you home?” Cas offers, voice softer.

Dean considers. “Yes, please, Cas.”

Cas nods and takes the three of them back to the motel room. Then he and Dean pack up, and he takes them back to Bobby’s house. He goes back to the motel room, watching John for a moment before making himself known. “Would you like me to take you back to Bobby’s?”

John rubs at his eyes. “No, thank you, Cas. I’m going to go hunting. I’ll be back in time for Dean’s next hunting trip.”

“Sam’s playoffs are next week.”

“I know, but I need to hunt. Didn’t you say this journal was important?”

“Instrumental. But if you don’t show some interest in Sam, he’ll go off to Stanford with you telling him not to come back. He’ll see Bobby, maybe, but not much of you or Dean. Or Adam, now. Do you want that for your son?”

John scowls. “I’ll be back for the playoffs.”

Cas nods. “Goodbye, John Winchester.”

“‘S Dad coming back?” Dean asks, pencil hanging out of his mouth as he works on his math.

“No, not yet.” Cas flops onto the bed. “I’m bored.”

“Go see Georgie,” Dean suggests. “You never do any homework, anyway.”

Cas considers. “I will call him up and ask,” Cas says. He uses his angel-telephone, as Dean has named it, to call the boy. “Hello, this is Cas. Is Georgie available?”

“This is he,” Georgie says, and Cas can hear the smile in his voice. “Hey. Are you back?”

“Yep. We just got back. What are you doing?” Cas itches his stomach.

“Well, I just finished my homework. Wanna come over and hang?”

“I was hoping you’d ask,” Cas admits. “I’ll be over in fifteen.”

“How are you gonna get here?”

“I’ll bike,” says Cas.

“I didn’t know you had a bike,” Georgie says.

“I do,” Cas says. “Or rather, we do.”

“Ah.” Georgie pauses. “See you then.”

“I will see you.”

Georgie laughs and hangs up.

Dean looks up. “Wear that grey sweater of mine,” he says, chewing on his pencil. “And nice jeans, without any holes. And clean underwear. And converse.”

“Sure, mother,” Cas says, going to their dresser and doing exactly as Dean says.

Dean laughs. “Hush up. I’m not your mom. You’re my mom. I’m your older sister, if anything.”

Cas laughs, too. “If I’m your mom, how are you my older sister?”

Dean considers. “Weird marriages?”

Cas laughs again and ties his shoes. “See you later, Dean.” He ruffles Dean’s hair and zaps himself outside. He actually begins to bike to Georgie’s, because he said he would be there in fifteen minutes five minutes ago and he can’t just fly over there. The ride takes too long. It would take Dean twenty minutes, probably, but Cas makes it in ten. He could do it instantly, of course, but…

When he gets the Georgie’s, he latches the bike lock to the fence and walks through the chain link fence. A dog is tethered to a post beside a small hut, and Cas walks towards it.

“Cas! No!” Georgie yells, but Cas has already kneeled beside the dog.

No animal would hurt an angel - not even the angel’s vessel. The dog cuddles up to Cas and starts licking his face. Cas scratches behind the dog’s ear.

“What’s its name?” Cas asks, cooing at the sweet animal.

“I’ve never seen her do that,” Georgie says. “She tried to bite the last person that came toward her…”

“Animals like me,” Cas says.

“Her name is Mae,” Georgie says. “My brother and me were both s’posed to be named Katie Mae if we were girls.” He kneels next to Cas, scratching Mae’s belly.  
“Sorry,” Cas says. “I didn’t mean to scare you. But I knew she wouldn’t hurt me.” Cas takes the ears of the dog and lets her kiss him one more time.

Then they both stand. Georgie leads the way inside. “Mom, this is Cas. Castiel.”

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Bauman. As Georgie said, my name is Cas. You have a beautiful home, and your dog is simply adorable.” He smiles.

Mrs. Bauman grins right back at him. “Thank you, Cas. I see Georgie’s finally found a friend who can teach him how to charm a woman.”

Cas laughs. “I suppose, ma’am.”

“Cas and Dean live with Bobby Singer, Mom,” Georgie says, leaning against the counter.

“Dean…the one that centered your line for hockey?” She looks at Cas. “They aren’t related, are they?”

“No, I live with the Winchesters, who live with Bobby and Karen,” Cas says. “It’s complicated.”

She nods. “Well, I’m making pot roast for dinner, so we’d love if you stayed.”

Cas glances at Georgie, who nods. “That’d be great,” Cas says, smiling. “If your cooking is anything like your house, I’m sure it’ll be wonderful.”

She smiles at him again. “Georgie, learn some manners from this one,” she says, pointing towards the stairs. “You boys can go upstairs, now.”

Cas follows Georgie up the stairs, unzipping his coat. Georgie plops onto his bed, and Cas sits across from him, laying his jacket over his lap.

Georgie leans in and kisses Cas’ cheek, balancing on his hands, and Cas turns his head to kiss him. Georgie makes a little sound, like surprise, and shifts closer to Cas, one hand cupping the back of his neck as they kiss.

They pull apart, Georgie’s hand shifting to rest on Cas’ cheek and Cas brushing a hair out of Georgie’s face.

Cas leans in again and kisses Georgie’s cheek. “Hello,” he says softly.

Georgie smiles at him, eyes shining. “Hi, baby,” he says. “Why did you kiss me?”

“I wanted to.”

Georgie leans in again, question in his eyes, and Cas fills the gap. They jump apart when a door closes somewhere near them. Cas looks at the ground, blushing, and Georgie stands and looks towards the door. “Wanna go for a hike?” he says.

Cas nods. “Sure. That sounds fun.” He hops off the bed, sliding the fleece back on. “Where to?”

“We’ll see,” Georgie says, leading the way down the stairs.

A man, face furry, comes out of what is probably the bathroom and looks at Georgie. “Hey, boy.”

“Uncle Jack.”

“Who’s this, boy? You got friends?” Jack waves a hand at Cas.

“Yes, sir,” Georgie mumbles. “This is Cas.”

“Oh, I remember you,” Jack says, frowning at Cas. “You’re the one I thought was Georgie’s fag.”

Cas’ face is emotionless. “It would be more befitting of you to not use slurs like that. Besides, if what I’ve heard is correct, you quite like gay porn.”

“What?” Georgie says, staring at his uncle. “You’re -”

“No. This kid is full of bullshit,” Jack says, but he glares at Cas in such a way that, even if Cas weren’t an angel, he’d have known he had struck a nerve.

Cas smiles and walks by Jack towards the door. Georgie follows him, yelling something to his mother about hiking and being back for dinner. Once they’re a safe distance from his house, Georgie takes Cas’ hand, letting their joined hands swing between them. He ducks onto a path into some woods, pulling Cas behind him. Everything is muddy, and there are still some patches of snow, but the trees are beginning to show green, and it’s beautiful. Cas sees a green, grassy patch of clearing a few yards away and drags Georgie to the soft grass.

“Won’t it be wet?” Georgie says, wrinkling his nose.

Cas wills the water away and plops down. “Dry as a summer’s day. Come sit.”

Georgie sits in front of him, frowning at first but his face softening as Cas lies back, staring at the treetops. He lies back, too, lacing his hand in Cas’ again. Cas rolls over onto him, tickling him and laughing. Georgie squirms and flips them over, pinning Cas to the ground and trying to tickle him.

“I am not ticklish,” Cas says. “At least, not there.”

Georgie leans down and brushes his lips. “There?”

“No.” Cas says. He puts his arms behind his head. “You will never find it.”

Georgie laughs and rolls off of him. “Alright.”

Cas puts his head on Georgie’s pectoral. “I missed your presence.”

Georgie lays an arm across Cas’ chest. “I missed you too, Cas,” he says. “I like your outfit, by the way.” He gently begins to rub across Cas’ chest.

“Thank you. Dean selected it.”

“How is it that the kid has such terrible taste in clothes ninety-nine percent of the time, but he’s spot-on when it comes to you?” Georgie groans.

Cas shrugs. “I do not know.” He turns over, setting his chin on Georgie’s chest now. “Are you nervous for baseball tryouts?” He continues to rub Cas’ back.

Georgie considers. “No, not really. I’ve played on it since my freshman year. It’s neat that Dean will be a tri-varsity athlete. You could probably be one, too, next year.”

“I do not enjoy football.”

“There’s always track,” Georgie points out. “You’re fast.”

Cas presses his nose into Georgie’s coat. Even through the layers, he can smell the now-familiar scent: cinnamon and musk and a hint of laundry detergent.

Georgie moves his other hand to Cas’ hair. Cas hums and wraps an arm around Georgie. “Let’s go hike more,” he mutters.

Georgie groans as Cas gets up, but at Cas’ offer of a hand, he, too, stands. “What time is it?”

“Five thirty.”

“Alright, well, dinner’ll be at six fifteen, so we’ve got to get back by then.” Georgie takes Cas’ hand. “I was comfortable back there,” he grumbles, letting Cas lead the way.

Cas turns to look at Georgie, affection in his eyes. It’s unusual for him to be this way; Cas is much like Dean in hiding any emotions he does have. It’s the angel in him, he supposes, just as the human in Jimmy, along with Dean, has helped him to have emotions in the first place.

//

“Well, hello,” Georgie’s father says, holding a hand out for Cas. “I’m Georgie’s father.”

“My name is Cas, sir,” Cas says, shaking his hand. “I played on Georgie’s line in hockey. Left wing.”

“Oh, I remember you!” Mr. Bauman’s blonde curls, just like Georgie’s, shake when he nods. “Yes, you were the fast one.”

Cas nods. “Your son looks just like you, Mr. Bauman.”

“Everyone tells us that, but Georgie just doesn’t see it,” Mr. Bauman says, shaking his head at his son. “Well, Cas, it’s wonderful to meet you. Come sit for dinner.”

Cas sits next to Georgie, whose hand immediately goes to his knee. Jack is across the table from them, next to Georgie’s little sister, and Mr. and Mrs. Bauman sit at the heads of the table.

“Jack, have you found a job yet?” Mr. Bauman asks.

“Not yet, but I’m looking. I -”

“Let’s pray, boys,” Mrs. Bauman says. “Katie, would you like to lead it?”

She shakes her head. She’s in seventh grade. Cas can sense her nervousness. He wonders idly where Georgie’s little brother is.

“I’ll lead it, Mom,” Georgie says, taking Cas’ hand above the table and offering his other hand to his mother. Cas offers his free hand to Georgie’s father.

Georgie leads a basic prayer that Cas collects and redirects to himself, lest his siblings check up on him. Gabriel’s already shown up once - one time too many, in Cas’ opinion.

Cas says amen with everyone else and looks to Georgie for direction. He reaches for food, so Cas does the same.

“So, boys, where did you go?” Mrs. Bauman puts a hearty helping of potatoes on Georgie’s plate.

“Just along the hiking trail,” Georgie says.

“So, Cas, are you thinking about college? Playing hockey, maybe?” Mr. Bauman says.

“Well, I’m only a freshman,” Cas says. “I have a few years.”

“And Cas is really smart,” Georgie says, mouth full of potato.

“Is that so? What classes do you take?”

“Nothing too hard,” Cas mutters.

“That’s not true. He and Dean are in accelerated classes for everything.” Georgie grins. “He’s in my math class.”

Mr. Bauman laughs. “Or maybe you’re just average, Georgie.”

Georgie shrugs. “Maybe so.”

“So, Cas, what do your parents do?”

Cas considers. “My parents aren’t really around. My siblings took care of me before I lived with Dean. I have a lot of siblings. And most of them are older.”

“Yeah, I met his brother Gabriel,” Georgie says.

“Well, it’s a shame your parents aren’t around, but Bobby and Karen are fantastic.” Mrs. Bauman smiles. “Is Cas short for something?”

“Castiel. The angel of Thursday. My siblings and I are named for the angels, you could say. Michael, Anna, Gabriel, Lucifer, Hanael, Barachiel, Gadreel, Jehoel -”

“How many siblings do you _have_?” This is the first time Katie has spoken.

“Many,” Cas says. “But we’re not all full siblings.”

“Katie!” Mrs. Bauman says. “Be polite.”

“It’s alright.” Cas shrugs. “I do not even know if I could name all of them.”

“Which are you closest to?” Mrs. Bauman asks.

“Well, Anna and I are very close - she’s one of my elder siblings - and Gabriel and I are also close. Michael is a leader in our family.” Cas scratches his head. “Uriel speaks to me most often.”

“Your family is complicated,” Katie says, shaking her head. “I’m fine with just four.” She shoots a look at Jack. “Five, I guess.”

Cas shrugs. “I’m used to it.” He takes a bite, waiting for Georgie to look away from his plate so Cas can put some of the food there. The conversation lulls for a moment, and Cas uses the time to charm the family again.

Georgie walks Cas to his bike. Jack watches from the door, so Georgie says goodbye from a distance as Cas gets on the bike. He rides only until Georgie cannot see him and then simply flies home, setting the bike in the shed and going to their room and crashing on the bed. Dean is already in there, and he half-flops onto Cas, snuggling close. Cas groans and shoves him off. “Wanna sleep,” he mutters.

Dean chuckles. “How was it?”

“Fine.” Cas rubs his eyes, and Dean points to his clothes.

“Don’t you want pajamas?”

Cas snaps his fingers and both of them are in pajamas, clothes in hamper.

“Teeth brushed?”

Cas snaps again. “Good?”

Dean crawls into bed again, wrapping his arms around Cas’ waist. “Yes.”

Cas sighs and leans closer to Dean.

//

Dean nearly buzzes with nervous energy the next morning. When Cas asks why, he’s met with a glare and the word “baseball!”

Dean is tense through getting ready and sitting at the table with his bowl of cereal. Cas sits next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He calms slightly, and Cas adds a touch of Grace.

“Cas, what’s wrong with Dean?” Bobby asks, frowning at him.

Cas glances at Dean. His hand is still on Dean’s shoulder, and the Grace is still flowing. “Oh, that was not intentional.” Dean wobbles back and forth in his seat, making little sounds at his spoon.

Dean is a little high on Grace. Cas withdraws most of it, leaving only enough for Dean to not worry about tryouts. Then he lets Dean finish his breakfast and takes them to school, where they meet Georgie and Lisa on the front steps and chat until the doors open. Georgie’s hand slides into Cas’ back pocket, but no one aside from Dean notices. Cas leans into Georgie slightly, and no one besides Dean notices.

When they all go into the school, Dean is chewing on his lip again. When the four part ways to go to their homerooms, Cas slips him a little more Grace.

//

Coach Quint, it seems, also coaches baseball. Cas and Dean are lacing up their cleats, mitts beside them, as he comes onto the field, giving each of them a slap on the back.

“Heyo, boys. Good to see you out for tryouts.” He winks at them and heads to converse with the other coaches. Dean finishes his laces and picks his mitt up, sliding it on. Cas helped him wear it in. Cas slides his on, two, and the two begin their warmups. Georgie warms up with someone else, presumably someone who plays on the team already. Cas snaps a ball into Dean’s gloves, and Dean throws a hard one right back. Cas is careful to match Dean’s skill level in everything, so both of them either get cut or make the team. Once the players are warmed up, the coaches call them together.

“Do we have any prospective pitchers or catchers?” Quint asks, eyeing Dean and Cas. Both raise their hands. “Dean, do you pitch?”

“Yes, Coach,” he says. “Cas catches.”

“Well, I’ll take you and Georgie, Mark, and Eugene to watch you,” Quint says, pointing to a bucket of balls and a bag of gear. “Freshmen.”

Dean and Cas pick them up and follow Quint and the returners to some netting. Cas and Mark set to putting gear on, Mark clapping Cas on the back and handing him his mask. Cas puts his catcher’s mitt on and joins Dean in one of the cages. Dean’s arm is already mostly warmed up, so Cas gets in his squat and waits for the pitch. It comes in a little slower than Georgie’s, but faster than the ones Eugene is tossing into the netting.

As Dean finishes warming up, his pitches hit a max of about sixty-five, where Georgie is pitching seventy-five. Dean is good, but Georgie is better. Much better. Cas stops all of Dean’s balls, but he’s an angel. He can do anything.

Quint watches the entire time and stops Cas as people are leaving. “Cas, buddy, you played well today.”

Cas nods. “Thanks, Coach. What about Dean?”

“He didn’t do badly. How would you feel about catching for Georgie?”

Dean has noticed Cas and Coach talking. Cas waves him off and says, “I could, Coach, but I’d like to catch for Dean. I’ll play wherever you want me.”

Coach Quint considers. “How fast would you say Dean was pitching today, Cas?”

“His fastest pitch was sixty-six miles per hour, Coach.”

“And how old is he?”

“Just turned fifteen.” Cas swallows a sip of water.

“So he’ll grow,” the coach muses. “And he has a few years.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Alright. I’ll see you two tomorrow. You made it past day one.”

When Cas tells him, Dean breathes a sigh of relief. “God, Cas,” he says. “God.”

“God is gone,” Cas says.

Dean looks at him. “I know. I’m sorry, Cas.”

“Sorry for what?” Georgie saunters over.

“Nothing.” Dean looks between Cas and Georgie. “You know, I’m still here.”

Both of them ignore him, eyes fixed on each other. Well, Cas doesn’t ignore him, but he doesn’t look away from Georgie, either.

Dean huffs and walks towards where Cas will taking him home. When he gets to their rendezvous point, after only five or so minutes, Cas still isn’t there. Dean waits, frowning. Ever since Cas started dating Georgie, Cas hasn’t been paying attention to Dean, and he doesn’t like it very much.

When Cas finally arrives, Dean has his arms crossed and is sitting on the ground. Cas wordlessly touches Dean’s shoulder and brings them home. Dean looks at Cas, with ruffled hair and bright cheeks and swollen lips, and grunts. “So that’s what took you so long. What, did you get him off?”

Cas stares at Dean. “Um…no? I do not know what the connotations of ‘get off’ are, but we simply kissed.”

“Oh, shut up, Cas.” Dean plops down into the chair in front of the desk. Cas flies over, setting his hand on Dean’s shoulder. “I don’t want your Grace, Cas! Just leave me alone.”

Cas is taken aback. Dean has never acted thus with him. The feelings Dean is giving off are not ones he yet understands. Dean seems to simply be angry about him kissing Georgie.

Cas shrugs and collects some books for the bookshelf, making his way down the stairs. He sits at the kitchen table and begins to read.

Bobby soon comes in. “Hey, Cas.”

“Hello, Bobby.”

“Where’s Dean?” Bobby fills a glass with orange juice.

“Upstairs,” Cas says, flipping the page. “He requested that I leave him alone, so I did.”

Bobby frowns. “He wanted you to leave him?”

“Yes.”

“What did you do, boy?”

“What?” Cas puts the book down. “I did nothing. I simply said goodbye to Georgie while Dean went ahead, and then took him back here.”

“Oh. I see.” Bobby sits down next to Cas. “Dean feels like you’re paying more attention to Georgie than him, doesn’t he?”

Cas considers. “Perhaps. But that is false. I live with Dean.”

“But it might not feel that way,” Bobby says. “You gotta make Dean feel loved, wanted, Cas. You know how he is.”

Cas considers. “How do I do this, Bobby?”

“Well, you could always make plans to hang out with him, just the two of you - without Georgie or Lisa,” Bobby suggests. “Go to the movies, or, I don’t know, play hockey. Or baseball. Or anything.”

“Okay.” Cas picks his book back up.

“Aren’t you gonna do something, you idjit?”

“Not this instant. Dean is doing his physics homework.”

Bobby sighs. “Alright, boy.”

//

Cas sits on the bed, legs crossed, watching Dean get ready for bed. “I’m sorry.”

“What for?” Dean spits.

“I haven’t been spending time with you. Even when you and Lisa first started dating, you made time for me. Would you like to do something together, just the two of us?” Cas says.

Dean stares at him. “What?”

“Bobby said you probably felt abandoned,” Cas adds. “I do not mean to abandon you. I simply enjoy kissing Georgie.”

“Okay, ew. I don’t want to hear about you and him, um, doing whatever you do.” Dean sighs. “Yeah, let’s hang out sometime.”

Cas grins and changes into pajama pants. “Are you done with your work yet?”

“Yeah, mostly.” Dean gets under the covers, cuddling up to Cas as he has been. Cas doesn’t quite know what it means, or if it means anything, but Dean sleeps more easily this way, so Cas is alright with it. Cas puts a hand on Dean’s back and puts his head down, letting sleep take him.

//

Cas wakes as Dean is getting out of bed.

“Damn,” he says with a smile. “I was trying to be quiet.”

Cas gives Dean a look. “I’m an angel, Dean. It’s physically impossible for you to be quiet enough for me to not hear you.” He hops out of bed and the two make it. “What time is it?”

“Seven,” Dean says.

“Okay.” Cas murmurs in Enochian, mostly to himself, but Dean listens.

“It hurts, but it’s enchanting,” he says. “I can’t stop listening.”

Cas pauses. “It’s a prayer to my father.”

Dean nods. “I’ve picked up the word for ‘father,’” he admits.

Cas strips his pajama pants off and pulls a pair of jeans on. Dean also gets dressed, and the two walk down the stairs.

“Why do you do things the human way?” Dean asks as they sit at the table, Cas next to Sammy.

“I don’t need to use my Grace all the time,” Cas says. “So I don’t.” He ruffles Sammy’s hair. “Hey, Sammy. What’s on the agenda for today?”

“I have a field trip,” he says. “We’re going to the planetarium.”

“Wow,” Cas says. “Maybe sometime I can take you to the big planetarium in New York City.”

Sam nods. “Could you take me to the Supreme Court? I wanna study law.”

“Sure, Sam. Whatever you want.” Cas watches as the brothers eat. Adam is not yet awake.

//

“Hey, Cas,” Georgie says, sitting next to him. Dean is on his other side.

Cas shifts in his seat. “Hello, Georgie.”

“Hey, Dean,” Georgie continues. “What’s up?”

“Not much, Georgie. How about you?” Dean pulls out his math book.

“I’m excited for baseball to start. And spring break. I’m definitely excited for spring break.” Georgie leans back in his chair. “I want to go camping over spring break. Just for a little while. What are you two going to do?”

“Hunting,” they chorus. Dean laughs and adds, “My dad’s already got us visiting three states.”

“Well, would you have any free time?” Georgie says. “Maybe to camp with me?”

Dean and Cas meet eyes. “Maybe,” Cas says. “It depends on John, really.”

“I might be able to go on the first trip with just Dad,” Dean says. “It’s pretty routine.”

The two hold eye contact and continue on the conversation. Georgie can tell that they’re communicating, but he doesn’t know what they’re saying.

Dean mentions that it’s just a ghost, and not even a dangerous one. Cas points out that ghosts can still kill. Dean says this is the ghost of a kid - nothing big, nothing scary. Cas sighs.

Then Ms. Bailey comes in. “ _Mister_ Winchester and Mister Novak, this is math class.”

Both snap forward, the conversation effectively over. “Sorry.”

“Anyway, finals are in a week exactly. As such, we will begin review.” She begins writing things on the board, and Dean pulls out a notebook.

//

“Today I want Dean and Mark working together and Cas and Georgie,” Quint says. When Cas looks like he wants to protest, he adds, “We’re just trying it out. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll switch things around again.”

Cas sighs and puts his gear on.

Mark hands Cas his mask again. “Hey, man, you’re doing great.”

“Sorry,” Cas says. “I want to catch for Dean, not Georgie.”

“Hey, dude, no hard feelings. You’re a great player.” Mark claps him on the back and walks towards Dean. “You’re a great athlete,” he adds, quieter.

Cas and Georgie walk into the cage together, Georgie starting off by tossing light pitches to warm up his arm. Cas holds his eyes, catching the balls easily. When he begins to step back, Cas breaks the contact, focusing on the balls. A few of them hit his pads, but he stops all of them. Georgie does the three-step warmup, and then it’s time for full pitching.

Cas goes into his squat. Georgie nails one into his glove. If he were human (and hadn’t blocked the pain sensors in his hand), it would have hurt.

“I can go faster,” says Georgie, mostly to himself, Cas thinks.

Cas catches the next pitch, too. Georgie’s pitching fifty, fifty-two miles per hour, testing Cas out.

“C’mon, Georgie, stop playing,” Cas says, exhaustion suddenly coating his words.

“Alright,” Georgie says. He winds up, giving Cas an unsure look that’s met with a glare. He releases, pitch hitting seventy, and Cas catches it.

“Believe me now?”

Georgie grins. “Yes.” He throws a few more, hitting around seventy every time, and Cas takes one to the thigh. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Cas calls, tossing it back. “Stings a bit, but I’m fine.”

Georgie nods and winds up again.

Dean makes some noise - Cas isn’t sure exactly what it is, but it’s not a good noise - and Cas’ head snaps over to look at his charge. He remembers Georgie’s pitch just a moment later, as a seventy-nine mile per hour pitch comes in and hits him on the shoulder, but it’s too late. Cas makes a sound of pain, surprise, and falls over.

Georgie’s at his side before Dean can even react, even though Dean races over, too. Georgie pulls his mask off, a hand coming to rest on his stomach.

Coach Quint ducks under the netting. “Cas? You alright?”

“He took a fastball to the shoulder, Coach,” Georgie says. “He heard something, or something, and glanced away, and I was already releasing the ball, and -”

“It’s fine,” Cas says, sitting up. “I’m fine.” Georgie’s hand still rests on him. “Get me up,” he says to Dean.

Dean gives him a doubtful look. Cas glares at him, and he boosts the catcher up.

“You sure, Cas?”

“I’m fine.” Cas gets into his squat, numbing the nerves in Jimmy’s left arm. He knows something is wrong, but he can’t just stop playing. He’s an angel. “C’mon, Georgie. Throw a damn pitch.”

Georgie holds his gaze for a bit. Then, finally, “Alright.” He goes back to the strip of rubber serving as a mound. “Fine.”

“I’m fine,” Cas mumbles again, setting himself up.

//

Cas is slow to unlace his cleats, so Dean does one of them, patting Cas’ knee. He gathers their gear and leads Cas towards the lockers. “Why are we going here?” Cas asks, focused on his shoulder.

“Georgie made me promise,” Dean says. “I know you can heal it, but…he made me promise to let him see it. I understand.”

Cas nods and lets Dean open the door, immediately sitting on one of the benches. Even with the numbed nerves, Jimmy is now writhing with pain inside of him and Cas can feel that.

Georgie kneels in front of him, running a hand over his solid shoulder. Dean stands behind Cas, who’s starting to droop from the exertion of silencing Jimmy and the pain.

“Grace,” Cas gasps to Dean. “Grace. Grace!”

Dean’s eyes widen. “Oh, shit. What can I do, Cas?”

“Water.” Cas racks his brain. “Put Grace in you yesterday. C’mere.”

Dean hands him water, which he guzzles, and pushes Georgie out of the way, tugging his shirt off and putting Cas’ hand on his chest. Georgie watches, confused, as the connection between the two boys glows and Cas straightens.

“Cas,” Dean murmurs as he feels his own exhaustion start to set in, “you’ve gotta let go of some of whatever you’re doing. When we get you home, you can sleep, and recharge, but if you take anymore Grace from me, I’ll be asleep.”

“Pain or Jimmy,” Cas says, hand now on Dean’s shoulder and head drooped.

“What would Jimmy do?”

“You’d be able to hear him shout. This - whatever Georgie did, it hurts him.” Cas rubs at the injury. “Bone’s chipped. Not the end of the world, but it hit a nerve and Jimmy’s crying.”

“Who’s Jimmy?”

“His vessel,” Dean says, smoothing Cas’ hair. “Do you have a car, Georgie?”

“Yeah,” Georgie says. “Why?”

“We need to get him home,” Dean says. “I can’t do it and he’ll collapse right here, right now if we don’t do it soon.” He begins to gather up their things, shirt mussed but on.

“How do you normally get home?” Georgie is still looking between the two.

“That’s a story for later. All of this is. C’mon, Cas is hurt because of you. Help me get him home and then you two can talk.” Dean grabs the last bag. “Carry Cas. Careful of his shoulder.”

Georgie rolls his eyes but picks up his boyfriend. “He was looking at you,” he says. “When he got hit. Yeah, it was my pitch, but he was looking at you.”

“Shut up,” Cas mumbles, cuddling into Georgie’s chest.

They somehow manage to load everything, Cas included, into the car, with Dean and Georgie in the front. Georgie pulls up in front of the house and Dean runs into the house, returning with Bobby, who pulls Cas out of the car and carries him away. Dean pulls their stuff out of the car and motions for Georgie to join the two of them.

Dean brings Georgie to his and Cas’ room. “Keep an eye on Cas,” he says. Cas is asleep. “I’m going to shower. I’ll be back in five and then you can shower.”

“I should call my parents.”

“Do it quickly,” Dean says, leaving the room. His shower is even shorter than normal, so he can get back to Cas. He’s also rather tired.

Cas has woken when he gets back. “Help me to the shower,” he says to Dean, shooting him that same glare as before.

“Don’t do it, Dean, he just -”

Cas shoots both of them another angry look. “Dean fucking Winchester.”

Dean swallows and throws boxers and a tee shirt on, scooping Cas up and carrying him to the bathroom. He turns the water on, and Cas is mostly naked when he turns back around. He helps Cas in, closes the curtain, and takes the last piece of clothing when it’s offered. He waits for Cas to finish and then helps him back out, letting him dry himself. He now carries him back to the room, handing him a similar outfit. Cas dresses himself and crawls back into the bed. Georgie heads off to the shower, frowning.

Dean plops down next to Cas, who immediately seeks out his touch. Dean almost feels a sense of happiness about that - because it’s him and not Georgie - but then he remembers that Cas is injured and Dean’s the only one here anyway.

When Georgie gets back, he stands there awkwardly in a towel until Dean mumbles something about borrowing boxers. Then he slides in behind Cas, throwing an arm around his waist. The three of them, fall asleep like that, cuddling in the bed, and that’s how they are when Karen comes in to ask about dinner.

She touches Dean’s shoulder. “Dean, sweetie, are you three comin’ down for supper?”

Dean rubs his eye. “Cas hurt. Grace. Sleep.”

“Why is Georgie here?”

“Hurt Cas. Not on purpose.” Dean shifts closer to Cas.

“Okay, sweetie. I’m going to come wake you up at seven thirty, alright?”

“Mhm.” Dean puts his head back down. “Dad home?”

“No, not yet, Dean. Not until tomorrow.”

“Good.”

//

Karen does come into the room again, at seven thirty, as promised. This time, when she wakes Dean, he’s alert, if quiet.

“Thank you,” he says softly, wriggling out of the bed.

“You know, Dean, you and Cas can rely on Bobby and me,” she says. “You can ask for help.”

“We know.” He turns around and she leaves, getting the message.

Dean gently taps Georgie awake. The teen wakes with a small start and then also gets out of bed. They both look down at Cas, and Georgie gives Dean a look like _Should I wake him?_

Dean shakes his head. “Cas will wake up.”

Cas shifts and sits up, frowning. “Go ‘way.”

Dean sits on the bed, putting a hand on his leg. “How’s your Grace?”

“‘S alright, but Jimmy is still in pain.”

“Do you have enough Grace to heal yourself?” Dean asks.

Cas leans his head back against the headboard. “If I do it, my siblings will notice and come.”

“Why would that be so bad?” Dean asks. “Sure, Gabriel’s a little intimdating -”

“Michael and Gabriel are two very different angels,” Cas nearly spits. “Gabriel hid as the prankster for thousands of years. Michael wreaked havoc for thousands of years. They may both be archangels, but Michael is the bad kind. And he’s the bad kind with the most power in Heaven.”

“So pray to Gabriel. Make him convince your siblings to send him, or Anna.” Dean gently rubs Cas’ knee. “Cas, you need to heal yourself.” He frowns. “Why could you heal me, but not yourself?”

“It requires more Grace,” Cas mutters. He kind of wishes for one of the two to come and hold him. Georgie must get his little thought waves, because he sits back onto the bed and cuddles Cas, not saying a word.

“Fine. I’ll pray to Gabriel,” Dean says, getting onto his knees on the floor.

Georgie murmurs sweet things into Cas’ ear, which he mostly ignores as he makes sure Dean’s prayer gets to Gabriel. He curls into Georgie as he feels Gabriel’s presence.

Gabe leans over Cas, who groans. “Hey, little brother,” he says, voice gentle. Gabriel is rarely gentle. “Used up your Grace?”

Cas nods and frowns.

Gabriel sets his hand on Cas’ arm and heals the injury. He also calms Jimmy in the same gesture.

Cas feels a boost to his Grace levels. “Thank you, Gabriel,” he says, head bowed.

“Cas, you can ask me for help whenever,” he says. “It’s entirely alright. I’m your brother.”

“I’m an angel,” Cas says. “I’m supposed to be impervious.”

Gabriel sighs and ruffles his hair. “Cas, you’ve got an amazing first assignment, and amazing prospects, but it’s alright to ask for help. We all have.”

“I’ve had assignments before,” Cas grumbles.

“Cas, a hundred-year shift in the deserts of Earth doesn’t count,” Gabriel says, hitting his knee lightly. “This is your first real one, and you don’t want to fuck it up. I get it. Besides, you’re doing great. Dean is doing exactly as our siblings want him to.”

Cas sighs. “Am I allowed to date Georgie? Am I doing the wrong thing? Do I need to be more vigilant about demons? Should I let Dean be lightly injured on hunting trips? I don’t know what I’m doing, Gabriel.”

“Dating a human is your choice,” Gabriel says. “Whatever you do, you must remember that, one day, he will grow old, and you will still be immortal. As for the rest of it, that’s your call, Cas. All I can say is that you’re doing well on your own. You’ve got this, Cas.” He touches Cas’ arm, a smirk on his face. “A mark of love. Press it and pray if you need me.”

“Thank you, Gabriel.” Cas bows slightly.

Dean hugs Gabriel tightly. “Thanks, Gabe,” he says.

The angel looks down at the human, surprised. “Of course, Dean.” He nods to Cas one last time. “Bye.” And he disappears, Georgie staring at the space he leaves behind.

“Cas, I don’t understand,” Georgie murmurs. “Are you - an angel? You can’t be.”

Cas sighs and stands up off the bed. “I am, Georgie. I’m sorry for lying to you.”

“Prove it.”

Cas flies from one side of the room to the other. To Georgie, it appears he teleported. Then he crawls back into the bed, exhausted from using even that small amount of Grace. Dean watches from where he leans on the wall.

“Lisa already knows,” Cas says, rubbing his eyes. “And angels aren’t the only thing out there. There are demons, and ghosts, and vampires, and wendigos, and dragons, and -”

“Alright, Cas, let’s not overwhelm him.” Dean scratches his head. “My family hunts these things, Georgie, and Cas is here to protect me.”

Georgie is silent for a moment. “And you chose to date - me?” he finally squeaks out. “You’re a freaking angel, man.”

Cas cuddles close to Georgie. “You smell good, and so does your soul,” Cas says. “I mean, I like you as a person, too, but smell is a big factor for angels.”

“Do you have wings?”

Cas nods. “Yes.”

“Can I see them?”

Cas gives him the same answer he gave Dean: “If we are ever in a serious, sexual relationship and I am considering making you my Mate, then yes, you may see my wings.”

“Why does it have to be sexual?”

“The closest human equivalent is me seeing your erect penis,” Cas says. “Or perhaps your anus. But it’s even more serious. Mating for angels is like soul marriage.”

Dean wrinkles his nose. “Cas!”

Georgie considers. “Alright. I understand.” He pulls Cas close. “Does this mean you can do magic?”

“It’s not magic,” Cas grumbles. “It’s the Power of Heaven.” He puts his face into the crook of Georgie’s neck. “‘M tired.”

Georgie kisses him lightly, more a nip at his lips than a full kiss. “I have to get home.” Another kiss. “I’m sorry about all of this. Dean is right, it was my fault.”

“No,” Cas says, holding onto him. “Not your fault. Don’t leave.”

“I have to.” He kisses Cas’ forehead and slides out of the bed.

Cas groans and lays back. “See you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Cas.”

The door opens, and closes, and then Dean slides into bed, pulling Cas against him. “How’s your Grace?” Dean asks.

“Tired.”

“And you, too, then?”

“Mhm.” He puts a hand over Dean’s mouth. “Sleep, stupid.”

//

“C’mere, Cas,” Georgie says, pulling him towards a classroom. Towards their math classroom.

“Um, Georgie?”

“I asked Ms. Bailey if we could eat in here. She said no sex.” Georgie sets his bag on the desk and hops up, pulling Cas between his legs and kissing him. “How are you feeling?” he asks between kisses, hands slipping into Cas’ shirt.

“Fine,” Cas says, leaning into his boyfriend. “What if someone comes in?”

“I locked the door. And closed the shade.” Georgie kisses Cas again. “I just like kissing you.”

Cas leans in again, setting his hands on Georgie’s hips as they kiss. Georgie’s hands slide around to Cas’ lower back, pausing there as he asks for permission. Cas nods into the kiss and Georgie grins against his mouth, grabbing a handful of Cas’ butt.

Cas laughs, pulling away and setting his hands on Georgie’s pectorals. “What is it with you and buttocks?”

“They’re hot,” Georgie says, nosing at Cas’ jaw. “So is my angel boyfriend.”

Cas laughs and kisses Georgie. “Angels don’t have emotions,” he says, fiddling with the zipper on Georgie’s hoodie.

“But?”

“But since I’ve been living with Dean, and since I started dating you, I’ve developed near-human emotions,” Cas says. “Some are more pleasant than others. But I’ve been having all of them.”

Georgie noses at Cas’ jaw again and then kisses him. “It’s still hard for me to believe. How did you tell Dean?”

Cas laughs. “Dean already knew about the supernatural when I met him. It wasn’t hard to convince him. Plus, he started thinking about porn when we were just getting to know him, so I called him on it.”

Georgie kisses Cas once more and then gets up fully on the desk, sitting criss-cross on the desk. Cas hops onto it, too.

“Can you take me flying someday?” Georgie asks.

“It’s not a pleasant experience. My wings are each fifteen feet long, and I fly very quickly. It looks like teleportation to the human eye.” Cas takes a bite of his sandwich. “Some people get sick their first time flying.”

Georgie nods and puts a hand on Cas’ thigh, eating with his other hand. “I don’t want you to think I’d ever take advantage of you being an angel. It’s just - it’s kinda cool.”

“You know, you’re taking this remarkable well,” Cas says drily. He finishes his sandwich and picks up his orange.

“The angel thing?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, you’re still my Cas,” Georgie says. “You did those angel-y things before I knew and you’ll continue to do them now.”

Cas smiles.

//

“How are you feeling today, Cas?” Coach Quint asks. “That was a nasty hit.”

Cas pulls down the neck of his shirt to reveal a purple bruise that covers most of his shoulder. “It’s fine. Just a little bruise.”

Quint examines it. “Are you sure?”

Cas nods, moving his arm about. “I’m totally fine. It was my fault. I was not paying complete attention to Georgie.” He scratches his head. “Are we going to make the team?”

“Oh, yeah,” Quint says. “Yes, we were planning on taking both of you. We want to develop Dean.”

“And me?”

“You, too, Cas, but you’re pretty good already. I see you starting.” Quint slaps him on the shoulder. “Go carry the gear, freshman.”

“Yes, Coach,” Cas says, picking up the gear sack. Dean already has the balls.

“Starting, man. Nice,” Dean says, but Cas can see the jealousy.

“Dean, I’m sure you’ll play, too. They can’t play Georgie every game.” Cas punches Dean lightly. “Cheer up.”

Dean shoves Cas back. “Asshole.”

“Dickbag.”

Dean laughs. And laughs some more. “Cas, swearing? I thought not.”

“I have a full vocabulary of English swear words,” Cas says. “I just choose not to use them.”

Dean laughs again and sets the balls down. Cas sets the gear down and opens the bag. He and Mark kneel, strapping gear on.

Mark tilts his head towards Cas and says softly, “How long have you and Georgie been dating?”

Cas freezes. “What?”

“It was obvious. Yesterday. Coach didn’t notice - he was too worried about you - but I could tell. Dean could, too. Does Dean know? He looked angry.” Mark shifts to put gear on his other leg.

“We’re - I - yes, Dean knows.” Cas rubs the back of his neck. “Why was it obvious?”

“The way he looked at you,” Mark says. “Anyway, I won’t tell anyone, but I’m proud of you.”

Cas swallows. “Thank you, I think.”

Mark nods. “So how long have you been dating?” He pulls his mask on.

“Um…a month? It’s complicated,” Cas says. “Like…things are different with guys.”

Mark smiles. “Alright, man. You know who’s catching for who?”

Cas shrugs, shaking his head. “Coach?” he calls. “Who’s catching for whom?”

“Cas and Georgie,” Coach says. “Sorry, Mark, but I want to see some more of Cas. I’ve seen you catch for Georgie for years.”

“It’s fine, Coach,” Mark says. He ducks into Dean’s cage. Cas ducks into the other one, and again Eugene is left with nothing but a net. He sighs and turns to the net.

Coach stands to the side of the cage, holding a speedometer. “Cas, I want you calling speed, too,” he says.

“Yes, sir,” Cas says, squatting. Georgie and Dean warmed up a little bit already, so Georgie’s almost ready to throw from a full distance. Georgie inches away, some of his pitches a little wild while he settles down, and Cas calmly collects and returns the ball. When Georgie’s reached the mound, Coach nods to Cas, who sets up and catches the next ball. “Sixty-eight,” he says.

“Yep.”

Georgie smiles at Cas and winds up. “This one’s gonna be a stinger, I can feel it,” he says.

“Seventy. A real stinger, George,” Cas says drily, grinning back at him.

“Maybe this one, then.” Georgie winds up again, complete concentration on his face, and releases the ball.

“Seventy again.”

Coach nods. “Cas is right again.”

Georgie chews on his lip for a second and winds up again. He pitches the ball.

 _Thwap._ “Seventy-three.” _Thwap._ “Seventy-two.” _Thwap._ “Seventy-three.” _Thwap._ “Seventy-five.” Cas smirks at Georgie. “C’mon, Georgie, where’s your fastball?”

Georgie groans and sets up. “You’ll see.”

“Seventy-nine,” Cas says, grinning. “There it is, Georgie.”

//

Dean doesn’t fall asleep right away tonight. Cas isn’t asleep, and Dean knows it, but still he cuddles silently with the angel. He shifts and begins to rub his bare foot along Cas’ calf.

“What is it, Dean?” Cas asks.

“What were you and Mark talking about?”

“He knows about Georgie and me,” Cas says, half-asleep. “It’s not the end of the world.”

“But you said my name. Or he did.”

Cas rubs his eyes, setting a hand on Dean’s back. “He just said you looked angry. I dunno, Dean, I’m tired.”

Dean is silent for long enough that Cas thinks he might be able to fall asleep, and then he says, softly, “Of course I was angry. He hurt you.”

“Not the first time,” Cas says, still drowsy. “Not the last. ‘S okay.”

Dean sighs and slips a leg in between Cas’. “Alright.”


	9. Chapter 9

“Dean,” John says. “I’d like for you to sit up in the front with me today.”

Dean frowns. “I wanna sit with Cas.”

“We’ll talk, and then you can sit with Cas.” John points to the shotgun seat. “Sit.”

Cas gets in the back, eyeing Dean nervously. John starts up the Impala, waving to Karen, and Bobby gets in the back, next to Cas, also frowning.

John starts driving, saying nothing at first. “Dean, I want to talk about sex.”

“Um.” Dean clears his throat. “If you want to ask about me and Lisa, I don’t -”

“No, I meant about sex with men.”

Dean’s eyes widen. “Um, Dad, I -”

“Don’t do it.” John doesn’t take his eyes off the road. “And if you do, don’t tell me.”

“I’m straight, Dad.”

“Then there’s no problem.” John is silent now, and it’s clear the conversation is over.

Cas switches the positions, so Dean is in the back with him and Bobby is up front. Dean looks like he’s about to cry, and Cas bites his lip. Then he zaps the two of them to a clearing in nearby woods. “Dean, it’s -”

Dean throws himself into Cas’ arms, crying. Cas sighs and hugs him tightly. Then he listens in on the conversation John and Bobby are having.

_“He’s your kid.”_

_“And I won’t have a faggot as a kid. I don’t care what the angel does, but Dean is straight and will continue to be straight.”_

_“He can’t make a choice to be straight, John. Dean will be what he is. And if that’s bisexual, that’s more than alright with me. You’re already on the path of ruining the relationships with your kids. Don’t fuck up Dean’s life, too.”_

__  
Dean’s shifting against him, making Cas pay attention to the boy again. He wipes his eyes and pulls away. “I can’t go back to the car like this,” he says.

“Let’s go get some food. I can take us back to the car when you’re ready. There’s a good diner not too far.” Cas takes Dean’s hands and flies them close to the diner, and then they walk into it.

“Thanks, Cas. I don’t know what I would do without you,” Dean says.

“Yep.” Cas knows not to push Dean. When he expresses emotion, you accept it and don’t mess with him. “You too, Dean.”

“How are - things with Georgie?”

Cas considers. “Quite fun.”

“Care to elaborate?” Dean sits in a booth, and Cas sits across from him.

“I find myself having a lot of fun with him,” Cas says. “He enjoys making out, and so do I. But of course, I also enjoy talking with him. He’s taken the whole angel thing well.”

Dean swallows. “Do you like him? Like really like him?”

“That’s a hard question, Dean.”

“So you don’t?”

Cas frowns. “I never said that. I said only that it was a difficult question. I’m an angel, Dean, and I’m only just developing emotions.”

“Mhm.” Dean smiles at the waitress. “May I please have a full breakfast, with a grapefruit and a cuppa?”

“Of course. And for you?”

“A cup of tea, please, and another grapefruit. Thank you, ma’am.” Cas hands his menu over.

//

“Take that long to get the gay out of you, Dean?” John says when Cas brings them back into the car.

“I took Dean to get a really late lunch. He hadn’t eaten.” Cas buckles his seatbelt.

“Mhm.”

“Shut the fuck up, John,” Bobby says. “Or else I’ll come over there, throw you out of the car, and drive my sons back home.”

Dean and Cas are silent. Bobby stares at John, face dead serious.

Dean can’t keep the smile from his face, and John can’t keep the scowl from his. Cas shudders at the thought of this weekend. He’s pretty certain it won’t be a fun hunt.

“Well, John? What’ll it be?"

John scowls and looks at the road, hands clenched on the wheel.

Bobby nods, looking pleased with himself.

//

Dean and Cas immediately take the bed furthest from the couch, leaving Bobby and John to duel over who gets the other real bed. They crawl underneath the covers, not having been able to sleep in the car. John had insisted that everyone leave after Dean and Cas got out of school, and the drive took ten hours.

Dean shifts in bed, obviously wanting to cuddle with Cas like they do. Cas lets him move around for a few minutes and then pulls Dean close to him.

Dean freezes, and Cas can tell what he’s thinking: John.

“Do not worry, Dean,” Cas murmurs. “When John awakens, I will separate us.”

Dean relaxes and cuddles into Cas. Cas smiles and rubs his back. Dean isn’t quite able to sleep, but Cas knows, if he’s quiet enough, Dean will share.

“Don’t want John knowing ‘m bisexual,” Dean finally mutters. John and Bobby are long since asleep.

“He’ll only know when you want him to,” Cas says. “And, well, who knows what will change. Right now, everything is fine. Alright?”

Dean nods, pushing his face further into Cas’ shoulder, and lets out that little breath he does before he goes to sleep.

Cas stays awake a little longer, relishing in how safe he feels with Dean and also wondering if he’s doing something wrong.

He decides it doesn’t matter now. It can matter later.

//

“How was the hunting trip?” Georgie asks, wrapping his arms around Cas’ waist and kissing his cheek.

“Good,” Cas says. “Quick. Dean and I are free for a few days, and then we leave for Indiana.”

Dean comes into their room, a few bowls of snacks in his hands. “Hey, Georgie.”

“Hey, man,” Georgie says, bumping his fist. “Y’all have a good time?”

“Yep,” Dean says.

“Cool. So, Dean - is it alright if I borrow Cas for a night or two to go camping?” Georgie leans against the wall.

Cas chews on his lip, watching Dean.

Dean bites back his honest answer. “Of course, man. You two have fun.”

Georgie claps. “Alright then. Cas, do you wanna gather whatever you need here, and then we can head over to my house to grab my stuff?” He kisses Cas lightly.

Cas raises his eyebrow and holds out his hand. Only Georgie seems the slightest bit surprised when a camping bag appears in it.

Dean claps Cas on the back and then slips a few things into his front pocket. He’s confused, but doesn’t say anything about it, only nodding to Dean. Cas follows Georgie out to his car, tossing his bag in the trunk. Dean has followed them to the porch, and Cas goes to say goodbye and give a last few bits of advice.

“Cas, before you say it, I know: eat right, do some work, and don’t leave the Yard until you’re back.” Dean grins at him and hugs the boy. “Have fun with your man,” he says. “Maybe I’ll invite Lisa over.”

“Wash the sheets,” Cas mutters.

Dean laughs and goes inside. “Will do.”

Cas slides into the front seat of Georgie’s car. Georgie leans over and kisses him, starting the car as soon as he pulls away. The drive to his house is short, and Cas follows Georgie into his house, waving to his mother and bumping his little brother’s fist. Katie watches through a crack in her door, shutting it when she sees Cas glance at the door.

Cas leans against Georgie’s doorframe, aware of Katie’s eyes on them again. “Hurry up, Georgie,” he says. “I want to get going.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Georgie says. “I’m just looking for…alright, and…”

“You know what, Georgie? I’ll just go wait with your mom.” Cas smiles and walks back to the kitchen. “Hello, Mrs. Bauman.”

“Hello, Castiel. Oh, you have such a pretty name. I wish I had been so creative as your parents. George, Katherine, Thomas John…” She smiles at him. “What exactly does your name mean?”

“It’s the name of the angel of Thursday,” Cas says.

“Mmmm.” She walks to the fridge. “Would you like anything to eat or drink?”

“No, thank you, Mrs. Bauman.” Cas perches on a seat.

“Nonsense. How about some mac n’ cheese?” She scoops some out of a container and puts it in the microwave. “Where are you and Georgie off to?”

“I’m not entirely certain, to be honest. He only told me he wanted to go camping, and I agreed. I don’t think we’ll be gone for too long.” Cas sits on a chair.

“So tell me, Cas - what is Georgie like in school?”

Cas blinks at her for a second as she sets the bowl of pasta in front of him. “Um…he’s a jock? But I guess most of the people I hang out with are jocks, ‘cause I play sports.”

She nods. “Does he have a girlfriend?”

“No, ma’am.” Cas takes a bite.

“But the girls like him, yes?”

Cas nods. Georgie is coming down the stairs now. “Yes. They think he is very attractive.”

“Then why doesn’t he ever have a girlfriend?” She sighs. “He’s such a handsome boy, but he only ever wants to hang out with you and Dean and write.”

Cas shrugs, waiting for Georgie to interrupt. He does, finally. “Hey, Cas. You ready?”

“Yep,” Cas says, standing and taking his dish to the sink. “Thank you, Mrs. Bauman. I’ll see you in a few days.”

“Bye, Mom. Love you!” He kisses her cheek. “We’ll be back in two days - three tops.”

“Do you have food and stuff for three days in the woods?” she asks.

“We’ll stop at the grocery store and the gas station on our way,” Georgie says. “Ready, Cas?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” He follows Georgie out. Georgie throws his stuff in the trunk, too, and then gets in the driver’s seat.

“What was she asking?”

“About you and girls. Are you ever going to come out, Georgie?”

Georgie scowls and starts the car. “I don’t see why you have any say in that.”

“I wasn’t saying I do, Georgie, but are you?” Cas crosses his arms as they drive towards the supermarket.

“I don’t know, Cas.” He sighs. “You know my uncle. My parents put up with him, but the reason they don’t like him isn’t because he’s homophobic - it’s because he’s a deadbeat. They agree with him.”

Cas considers. “If you come out and it doesn’t go well, I could always wipe their memories.”

“If I come out, they won’t leave us alone in my room to make out,” Georgie points out, putting his hand on Cas’ thigh. “And it would be a shame to lose that privilege, wouldn’t it?” He moves his hand a little higher.

“Alright, alright,” Cas says. “I get it, I guess.”

“And no camping trips alone,” Georgie says, sliding his hand into Cas’ shirt.

“Georgie,” Cas says. “I get it. Can this wait until we’re out of public view?”

“Yes,” Georgie says, returning his hands to the steering wheel. In the grocery store, Georgie only kisses Cas once, in the spices aisle, pressing his lips against the angel’s insistently for a moment.

Cas follows Georgie around the store, watching idly as he puts things into the cart. Georgie’s choices seem almost random to Cas, but he trusts the junior. When Georgie is done in the supermarket, they drive to a gas station, filling the tanks to capacity, along with a spare five-gallon container Georgie puts in the trunk.

They get back in the car, Georgie putting the radio on to some random pop channel. Then he starts to drive. “Where exactly are we going?” Cas asks, turning the radio off.

“Just driving,” Georgie says. “Driving till we find a place.”

“Alright.” Cas shifts so he’s lying across the seats, head in Georgie’s lap. “Then I’m going to take a nap.”

Georgie chuckles, setting a hand on Cas’ head. “Alright, Cas.”

//

“We’re here,” Georgie says. “I found a clearing and everything.” He kisses Cas’ forehead.

“Lemme sleep.”

“Are you this pleasant with Dean on hunting trips, or am I special?” Georgie asks, kissing him on the lips this time.

“Hunting means only sleeping for a few hours each night, ‘cause we’re up late researching and up early for more research,” Cas says, sitting up and sliding out of the car. He’s glad for his hand-me-down fleece now.

Georgie comes up behind him and slides a hat over his head, wrapping his arms around the angel as they look out over the cliff edge they’re at. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Cas turns around. “Let’s get set up. I will do the fire.”

“Nuh-uh,” Georgie says, grabbing his hands with a twinkle in his eyes. “You won’t do anything, because I don’t want any angel-cheating.”

“I don’t cheat!” Cas frowns, and it’s almost a pout.

Georgie grins and points to a spot away from the center of the clearing. “Go sit, angel boy.”

Cas sighs and obeys, sitting on the ground. He willed it not to be damp, because he hates the feeling of his jeans being wet back there. Georgie sets everything up - even though Cas is perfectly capable - and comes to get Cas, kissing him lightly. Cas still pouts.

“C’mon now,” Georgie says. “Wanna make dinner?”

“Sure,” Cas says, standing. Georgie pulls two folding chairs out of the trunk and sets them up, handing Cas a pan and some ingredients, including pork hot dogs. Cas wrinkles his nose, but sets to cooking it for Georgie.

When Georgie is done futzing, he comes over and sits next to Cas. He frowns at the pan. “That’s not enough for both of us.”

“I’m not going to eat any,” Cas says.

“Cas, you gotta -”

“Georgie, I’m not human, and, besides, I won’t eat pork,” Cas says.

Georgie sighs. “Alright.” He leans in and kisses Cas, who grips his arms.

//

“Hey, Cas. How was it?” Dean asks.

“Fine.” Cas snaps his fingers, unpacking everything in a moment.

“Oh, wow. That bad? What happened?” Dean plops onto the bed, bouncing slightly.

“No, it wasn’t…bad. I just… He…”

“What happened, Cas?” Dean pulls him to sit across from him.

“I couldn’t sleep well,” Cas admits. “I missed having you there.”

Dean smiles a little and looks down. “And? There’s something else.”

Cas sighs. “We performed fellatio upon one another.”

“You what?”

“Blowjobs, Dean.” Cas buries his face in his hands. “Blowjobs.” He hears a thud and discovers Dean has fallen off the bed. “Oh, c’mon, Dean. Be serious.”

“I didn’t mean to fall off,” Dean says, clambering back onto the bed. “Sorry. Why is that bad, man? You got sucked off.”

Cas stares at Dean. He can’t say what he’s thinking: _I was thinking about you the entire time. What it would be like to have you in my mouth and me in yours._ “I don’t know, Dean.” He scowls.

_I almost said your name, Dean, when I came._

Dean just frowns at him. “Was he bad at it or something?”

Cas shakes his head. “It was enjoyable.”

“Were you bad at it?”

“Georgie seemed perfectly pleased.” Cas shrugs.

Dean leans in then. “What was it like?”

Cas shrugs again. “Like I expected. It wasn’t the first time I had seen his penis, Dean.”

Dean frowns. “Alright, Cas.” He throws an arm around his buddy. “Whaddaya say we marathon Star Trek?”

Cas considers. “That would be enjoyable.”

“Great. You make popcorn, and I’ll set up the VCR.”

//

Cas falls asleep on Dean’s chest, his cheek right over Dean’s heart. Dean has his hand on Cas’ back and snores lightly. This is how Bobby finds them early the next morning, Star Trek still playing in the background. He lays a blanket over them and turns Star Trek off, going about his morning. He keeps everyone quiet until there’s a rap at the door. He goes to get it.

“Hey, boy,” he grunts.

Georgie fidgets outside the door. “Is Cas here?”

“Yeah, he and Dean are asleep on the couch, but you can go try to wake them up, if you want. They were up late last night, watching Star Trek,” Bobby says. He steps back from the doorway, allowing Georgie in. He goes to the living room and kneels beside the boys, shaking Cas’ shoulder lightly.

“Hey, Cas, it’s me,” he says.

Cas curls into Dean, who wakes and shifts to curl around Cas. “Sleeping.”

Georgie waits a moment and then tries again. This time, both boys sit up, glaring as they rub their eyes.

“Why here?” Cas says, curling into Dean even as they’re awake. Dean doesn’t object, holding him close.

“Why are you two cuddled up on a couch?” Georgie snaps.

Dean throws a protective arm around Cas. “Hey, man, be nice. We just fell asleep on the couch.”

Georgie scowls. “I just came to see if you were…okay with what happened.”

Cas shrugs. “Yeah, it’s fine, Georgie.”

Georgie frowns again. “It doesn’t sound like it’s fine.”

Cas leans forward and kisses Georgie. “It’s okay, alright? I’m just tired. I didn’t sleep well.”

Georgie seems to accept that. “Okay. What are you doing today?”

“Getting ready for another hunt,” Dean and Cas say in unison.

“Any free time?”

They shake their heads. “I’m surprised John didn’t have us up at the crack of dawn getting ready,” Dean says.

“Sorry,” Cas says. “I can walk you out, if you want.”

“Yeh, sure,” Georgie says.

Cas untangles himself from Dean, walking towards the porch. Georgie follows him, noting his dress: only a tee shirt and boxers.

“Do you two always cuddle?” Georgie asks on the porch. “In little clothing?”

“Hey.” Cas whirls around. “It’s not fair to be jealous of Dean and me. You know how it is.”

“Sure doesn’t seem like that.”

Cas takes Georgie’s hands. “Georgie - we’re just friends. Brothers, even. But nothing more.”

Georgie frowns and hums, looking down at Cas.

Cas pulls him into a kiss, and he finally relents, looping his hands around Cas’ waist.

“Faggots,” John mutters, walking by them into the house. “And put some pants on, angel.”

Cas sighs and separates himself from the teen. “Bye, Georgie.” Then he turns around and follows John into the house. He grabs his jeans from beside the couch and slides them on. Dean stands and grabs his jeans, too.

“There’s breakfast on the table, boys,” Bobby says. “Everyone else has already eaten. What did Georgie want, Cas?”

“Nothing,” Cas says. “It’s fine.” He sits at the table with Dean, picking at a bowl of cereal.

John comes in a sets a crate on the table in front of them. “I want you two to go through these weapons and rune and catalog them.”

Dean and Cas nod, finishing their food and picking up the crate. In their room, they set it on the ground and sit on either side of it.

“You wanna rune and I’ll catalogue?” Dean says, picking up a dagger.

“Sure.”

//

Dean flips the dagger around over his hand before he stabs the demon, killing it - and the person it was residing in, but she was probably going to die anyway.

Cas shoves the young hunter. “Show-off.”

Dean laughs and walks back over to Cas. “Help me with the body,” he says.

Cas raises an eyebrow at Dean and wills the body away. “Done.”

Dean groans and turns. The two go to where John and Bobby wait in the Impala, John’s arm hanging out of the side of the car. They get in the car.

“It dead?”

“Yeah,” Dean says. “Ganked it and got rid of the body.”

“How many more, Cas?” John doesn’t make eye contact with the angel.

Cas is silent. He will not answer the man who hurts his son like he does.

“C’mon, angel boy, answer me.” John turns to glare at him, and Cas simply looks out the window. “Alright, fine. We’ll figure it out on our own.”

“Cas,” Bobby says. “Don’t be immature.”

Cas turns a glare on him. “ _I_ shouldn’t be immature?”

“Don’t stoop to John’s level.”

Cas sighs. “This town is kind of infested with demons.”

“Oh, shit.”

Cas nods. “Yeah. I can’t even count them all. I just…there are so many.”

“Do you know why? Is Azazel here?” John is suddenly strung tight as a bowstring.

Cas shakes his head. “Sorry, John.”

John sighs and pulls into the motel parking lot. “I’m heading out. You three can do whatever.” He drops them off and drives away.

Dean and Cas go into the room, as does Bobby, who flops onto a bed and falls asleep almost immediately.

“What would you like to do?” Cas asks.

Dean flops onto the other bed. “I dunno.”

Cas laughs and flops next to him.

//

When they get back from the hunt - a week later, Cas would like to point out - both Cas and Dean are exhausted. Between Dean, Bobby, and John, seventy demons were killed and banished. Cas stayed out of the way, mostly. The ride back to Sioux Falls was silent, Dean and Cas asleep on each other and Bobby struggling to keep himself and John awake.

“I should go see Georgie,” Cas says, flopping onto their bed.

“I should call Lisa,” Dean says, also falling onto the bed.

“Later,” the two agree.

Dean cuddles up to Cas, who in turn curls into him, and the two fall asleep, even though it’s relatively early in the day.

When they awaken, they get out of bed and drag themselves downstairs. Cas first takes them to see Georgie, both of them rubbing their eyes as they knock on the door.

“Hello there, Cas,” Mr. Bauman says as he opens the door. “And is this Dean?”

“Yes, sir,” Dean says, still rubbing his eyes as he offers a hand.

Mr. Bauman shakes it. “Well, I’ll go get Georgie. You two can come in.” He opens the door wider, and Cas and Dean come in. They wait in the entry hall until Georgie appears, arms crossed. He motions for them to follow him, and they go back to his room.

“You still angry, Cas?” Georgie asks, sounding pretty close to crying.

“No,” Cas says, and there’s a hint of confusion there. “Why do you think that?”

“You avoided me for a week!”

“We were on a hunting trip,” Cas says. “We cleared a town of demons.”

Georgie frowns and then sighs, opening his arms. Cas nearly jumps into them. He hugs Georgie, inhaling that scent of sunshine and cinnamon and musk. “I’m sorry,” they mumble simultaneously.

Georgie releases Cas and gently pecks him on the lips. “I’m sorry, Cas,” he says.

“‘S fine,” Cas says, stepping away. Then he steps close again and kisses him. “We have one more hunt this break, and then we can spend time together. I know you feel like I have abandoned you, but I promise you - it is not so.”

“Cas -” Georgie touches his cheek. “ _Cas._ ”

“Still here, guys,” Dean says.

Cas pulls away, reddening, and Georgie laughs. “Of course, Dean.”

Georgie kisses Cas’ cheek one last time. “I get the feeling you have elsewhere to be.”

Cas nods. “Bye, Georgie.” He grabs Dean and takes him to Lisa’s house. Lisa’s parents let them in, and Cas sits against the wall outside their room while the two have their, ah, reunion.

//

“Dad, can I come hunting this time?” Sam asks. “I’m old enough now.”

“Sam, you’re eleven.”

“Dean was helping you when he was eleven!”

Bobby, Dean, and John meet eyes. Dean shrugs and nods. Bobby frowns, but eventually looks to John. John glances at the angel. Cas nods. “It’s important for Sam to learn, too.”

Sam nods. “C’mon, Dad.”

“Alright, Sam.” John nods towards the stairs. “Go pack a bag with Dean.”

Sam races up the stairs, followed by Dean, and Cas goes to finish packing for Dean and himself. He carries their shared duffel and bag. Dean sits in the middle, Cas behind John and Sam behind Bobby. John immediately turns the radio on, and Dean tilts his head onto Cas’ shoulder and pulls Sam’s head onto their laps. The three fall asleep like that, all knowing that the ride will be much shorter if they sleep it off.

//

Sam watches everyone carefully, noting everything that happens in the hunt in the little book John gave him. It’s different from the more serious ones he gave to Dean, Bobby, and Cas, but Sam cares for it like nothing else.

Other things that Cas notes: Sam is unlike his brother. It is in Sam’s nature to question. It is in Dean’s to lead, but also to follow.

Sam asks “why” to more orders than Dean would dream of doing. And he gets away with it. And Dean notices.

“Put your brother to bed,” John grunts once.

“It’s only nine, and Dean will be up until midnight. Why do I have to go to bed?”

Dean scowls at Sam. “Get to bed.”

//

When they get back to Sioux Falls, Sam runs and hugs Karen, even though he insists he was fine without her all weekend.

“Dean, go change into athletic clothing and wrap your hands,” John says, putting his hand on Dean’s shoulder briefly.

Dean and Cas both know what this means and disappear into their room, changing into clothing better for fighting. Cas wraps their hands, and the two go outside the house. John has Sam out there, attired similarly to the two other boys, and he’s pushing Sam into a fighting stance. At eleven, Sam is big for his age, but still a lot smaller than his father.

“Dean, Cas, start sparring,” John orders, still pushing Sam around.

The two get into their stances and start the fight at a nod from John. Cas either blocks or ducks from Dean’s blows, but he mostly stays on the defensive. Dean gets frustrated of this after a while.

“C’mon, Cas, fight me,” he says. “None of this defensive shit. I won’t get any better.”

Cas frowns and immediately goes onto the offensive, most of his blows landing. Dean suddenly jumps out of the way and lands a blow to Cas’ side. Cas spins and hits him on the shoulder, hard, and he rolls, bringing Cas’ legs out from under him. Cas jumps back up and Dean hits him in the face. Cas punches him back once, twice, three times. The binding on his hands has specks of Dean’s blood, but he continues until Dean taps out. Then he helps his partner up, clapping him on the back.

“I lose every time,” Dean says, groaning.

“Well, I can’t let your ego grow too much,” Cas says. “Besides, the day when you can beat an angel is the day you are an angel.” He smiles and lifts Dean’s shirt. “Nothing too bad. Nothing I need to heal.”

Dean groans and walks over to his Dad. “Can we be done now? Cas beat me up.”

“No.” John leaves Sam for a moment. “Spar with Sam and then with Cas again.”

“Is that fair, John? Dean is significantly bigger than Sam.” Cas crosses his arms.

“And you beat Dean every time. Be glad I’m not having Sam fight you. Come on, now, Dean.” John come to stand next to Cas, their positions similar.

Dean sighs and lets Sam come at him. He stays on the defensive, much like Cas did with Dean at first.

“Dean,” Cas says, and then Dean takes the offensive, quickly putting Sam into a hold he can’t escape.

“Alright,” John says. “Dean, once more with Cas, and then you can go inside and clean up.”

Dean sighs and takes a swing at Cas, who stays on the defensive until Dean starts really trying, and then shuts him down mercifully. Not too many hits, just until he’s on his knees for long enough for Cas to pin him.

“Weak, Dean. You’ll need to keep working with Cas.” John tilts his head towards the house. “You can go.”

Cas helps Dean up, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not you,” Dean says, sighing and rubbing his eyes. “It’s rarely you, Cas, and yet it’s always you.”

Cas rubs the back of his neck. “Let’s go inside.”

//

Dean makes a big picnic for himself, Linda, Georgie, and Cas the next day. They’ve decided to hike into the woods and have a picnic somewhere nice. Cas has already picked up Georgie and Lisa and is currently cuddling with Georgie in a chair on the porch. His hand is partially up Georgie’s shirt, casually fiddling under there as the two talk.

Georgie’s pupils are a little dilated, but his eyes are fixed on Cas, and he smiles faintly at the angel, as though he couldn’t imagine a better place to be.

Cas leans in and kisses him, and Georgie holds him in, deepening the kiss. In an instant, Cas takes the two to the bedroom, locking the door and stripping Georgie’s shirt off in an instant. He pushes Georgie onto the bed, kissing him again. He undoes the button on Georgie’s jeans, shooting one of his more withering glares at the teen when he tries to take off the angel’s pants. Georgie’s hands go back to the bed, and Cas works on his own clothing.

-

Dean pounds on the door before coming in. Cas makes no move to cover up, hand laying on his stomach and content look on his face, although Georgie pulls the sheet over himself.

“Cas,” Dean groans. “Man, you couldn’t wait -”

“Don’t act like you and Lisa haven’t,” Cas says, getting up and pulling his boxers back on. “You were long before I was.” He pulls Georgie off the bed and dresses him with a snap, also washing the sheets and making the bed. Then he pulls on his own clothing. “You three can start going. I’ll catch up.”

Georgie kisses his cheek and walks out. Dean, on the other hand, lingers. “Cas…”

“Yes?” Cas pulls a clean shirt over his head. Dean leans against the doorframe.

“Where are you going?”

Cas rubs his eyes. “I have a meeting. I told you, I’ll catch up, Dean.”

“With who? Shouldn’t I come? You shouldn’t be alone.”

“Go, Dean.” Cas disappears.

Dean sighs and does as Cas said, going down the stairs and leading Georgie and Lisa out the door.

“Where’s Cas?” Lisa asks as they start hiking.

“He’ll catch up,” Dean says, smiling at her and taking her hand. “He has a meeting.”

“Oh, and Georgie, you have a big hickey underneath your ear,” Lisa continues, smiling at him.

Dean yanks on Lisa’s hand. “Don’t tell him that.”

“Oh, shit,” Georgie says, hand flying up to the mark on his neck. “How noticeable is it, Dean?”

“Um, why?” Dean picks his way over the stones of a stream.

“My parents know where I am,” he says. “I can’t have them finding out about Cas.”

Dean waves a hand at him. “Cas can heal it. Don’t worry.”

“I thought he would know not to in the first place,” Georgie says, frowning.

“Dude, I’m sure he would have removed it had I not distracted him. Don’t stew over it.” Dean leads them to the waterfall he found with Cas a while ago. It sparkles bluish and is surrounded by greenery. He starts setting the picnic up on the shore of the attached pond, Lisa’s hands next to his.

Cas appears next to Dean, kneeling and whispering into his ear. Dean’s back straightens immediately, and he frowns at Cas. Then he whispers back at Cas, and the angel shakes his head.

“What are they talking about?” Georgie mutters to Lisa when the two walk a short distance away, seemingly debating.

“Hunting, most likely,” she says, finishing unpacking.

“But like…what specifically?”

Lisa shrugs. “They don’t tell normal humans, not unless we’re in danger. Dean says the more we know, the scareder we’ll be, and he doesn’t want that for me.”  
Georgie sits on the blanket, frowning. “But…”

Cas grips his shoulder lightly for a moment, smiling at his boyfriend. “Sorry about that,” he says.

“Cas, you can’t think -”

“Dean, the conversation is over,” Cas says, gazing flatly at the Winchester over his shoulder.

Dean glares at him. “We’ll continue it later,” he finally says, sitting next to Lisa. He kisses her cheek. “Let’s eat.”

“What were you two talking about?” Georgie asks, taking a sandwich from the pile.

“Nothing,” Cas says, taking an apple.

Georgie frowns. “Cas, please don’t -”

“You shouldn’t ask us if you don’t want us to lie,” Dean says, smiling faintly. “Drop it, please, Georgie.”

Georgie sighs, shoulder rising and falling next to Cas’. Cas kisses his cheek. “Can you get rid of the hickey?” he asks Cas.

Cas kisses the spot of the hickey, and it disappears. “Yep.”

“Next time, could you do it in a spot my parents can’t see?” Georgie mutters.

Cas laughs and nods, pulling away from him and stripping his shirt off. “C’mon, let’s swim.” He unbuttons his jeans and stands on the edge of the pond in his boxers.  
Dean stands, stuffing his sandwich into his mouth, and similarly sheds his clothing, grabbing Cas’ arm and pulling him in. The two tumble into the deeper parts of the pond, Cas coming up spluttering and laughing.

“Dean Winchester!” Lisa yells, standing on the edge of the pond. “What happened to you?”

“What do you mean?” Dean asks, standing and wiping water off of his face.

“Your chest, Dean,” Georgie says. “Cas has faded bruises, but I didn’t…”

Cas starts laughing then. “Dean and I sparred yesterday,” he says. “Those are just from Dean losing. He’s okay. Nothing is badly hurt. Just flesh-level bruises.”

Dean looks down and shrugs. “This isn’t bad.” He dives back in, coming up a few feet away. Cas floats on his back, watching the sky.

Georgie shrugs off his shirt and shorts, too, jumping in near Cas and walking over to him, kissing him and holding him.

Lisa takes off her jeans and flannel and jumps in, swimming over to Dean and examining his chest more carefully. Cas kisses Georgie and then dunks him.  
Dean and Cas catch each other’s eyes and smile.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note - I changed the name of the third pitcher to Eugene. I'll change it in the other chapters, but this is just to clarify here. Thanks for reading!

“Cas,” Dean says, tugging on his arm. “We gotta talk, man.”

Cas has been successfully avoiding talking to Dean about their previous conversation during break. It has been a week, and Cas knows he’s overdue.

Cas sighs and sits on the desk chair. Dean stands in front of him, a worry-crease between his eyebrows and his schoolbag still hanging off one shoulder. “Cas, you need to tell me everything,” Dean says, stripping his shirt off.

Cas leans back, sighing. “Gabriel is going to come stay, to do a sort of - check-up on me.”

“Before you just said one of your superiors.”

“Gabriel convinced them to let it be him,” Cas says, also shrugging off his school shirt. The two didn’t have practice today. “He gets here Monday and will stay until we successfully complete a hunt.”

Dean sighs and pulls a grease-stained shirt on. “Alright, I guess. Where’s John?”

“Hunting,” Cas says.

“The Impala here, or no?”

“Yeah,” Cas says. “He took the truck.”

Dean smiles. “I’m gonna go do a check-up on my baby.”

Cas laughs and goes to get a shirt. “I’m going to go work on some more of the weapons.”

Dean hugs him tightly. Cas frowns at the boy, patting his back twice before he lets go.

//

“Alright, boys, let’s get to practicing. Cas, start warming Georgie up. Dean and Mark, you two can go warm up with the infielders.” Quint ruffles Cas’ hair.

Cas starts to strap the gear on. Mark claps him on the shoulder, and Dean gives him a tight smile.

Georgie grabs the other shinguard and starts doing the gear up on Cas’ right leg. “Glad you’re catching me,” he says, almost mumbling.

“Yeah,” Cas says, grabbing his chest pad and sliding it over his head while Georgie finishes buckling the shinguard. He pulls his mask on and then grabs the catcher’s mitt.

Georgie smiles, and the two start his warmup, Cas not really meeting his eyes.

“Are you going to the meeting tomorrow?” he asks, throwing another pitch.

Cas shrugs. “Yeah, probably.”

“Dude, what’s up?”

Cas sighs. “My brother is coming to assess me,” he says, frowning and catching the wild pitch.

“Oh.” Georgie pauses. “What does that mean?”

“We’ll see.”

“When does he get here?” Georgie winds up and releases.

Cas’ glove flies to the right to snag the ball. “Monday.”

“For how long?”

Cas shrugs. “I have no idea.”

“Are you sure you -”

“Don’t ask, Georgie.” Cas sets himself up again.

//

“So,” Ms. Bailey says, “does anyone have any news?”

Dean takes a bite of the ham and cheese Cas packed him, but he doesn’t make eye contact with anyone.

“Cas’ brother is coming to town,” Georgie says.

Immediately, Dean and Cas glare at him. “Shut up,” Dean mutters.

“How will that be, Cas?” Sophia asks.

“Doesn’t matter.” Cas pulls his knees up to his chest.

“C’mon, Cas, there’s gotta be a reason you live with Dean,” Mel says.

“I chose to.” Cas shrugs. “I have no problem with Gabriel.”

Ms. Bailey watches Cas for a moment. “Alright, well, does anyone else have news?”

“I think I found another lesbian,” says Michelle. “Or, at least, someone who likes girls.”

“That’s cool,” Mikey says. “Who?”

“I -”

“You will not share her name, not until she comes here,” Ms. Bailey says. “Feel free to offer - in private.” She nods. “Anyone else?”

It’s silent for a moment, and Georgie pulls Cas between his legs, rubbing the outsides of Cas’ tucked legs and tucking his nose into Cas’ neck.

“Well, I found a video on the internet,” Maria says. “May I use the computer, Ms. Bailey?”

“Is it porn?” Ms. Bailey crosses her arms.

“No.” Maria stands and goes over to the only computer in the school, logging on and doing an internet search. She clicks on the video.

“This is LA Pride!” Melodie says, smiling widely. “This is so cool, Maria.”

“Thanks,” Maria says, smiling. Everyone gathers close, staring as people celebrate who they are.

Dean stares at the screen, mouth slightly open. Cas puts a hand on his back, sharing a glimpse of the future - Dean smiling at Pride with a kid and someone holding his hand.

Dean smiles widely.

Georgie puts an arm around Cas’ waist. “That one looks like you,” he murmurs.

Cas shoves him slightly.

//

“Alright, let’s have the entire bullpen warm up today. Um, Eugene, you can…you can warm up with me,” says Quint.

“Who do you want paired up?” Dean says quietly.

“You and Mark,” the coach says, watching as the catchers strap gear on. He claps Dean’s shoulder. “Sorry, kid.”

Dean sighs, visible slumping. Georgie bites his lip. “Hey, Coach, could I warm up with Mark today? Cas can catch me during practice ‘n everything, but Mark caught me for so long, I just want a throwback.” He laughs at his own joke, but Dean brightens.

Coach considers. “I suppose. Just for warmups, though.”

“Thanks, Coach,” Georgie says, clapping Dean on the back.

“Dude, you owe Georgie for that,” Mark says, buckling the clip that goes around his back and pulling his mask on.

Cas nods. “I know.” He smiles at Dean and holds his glove out for a pitch.

Dean grins at him. As much as Cas hates it, Cas being paired with someone better than Dean makes Dean upset. Cas catches Dean’s first warmup pitch with ease.

Georgie watches the two idly as he warms up with Mark, who, admittedly, drops more balls than Cas does on average. Of course, Cas only drops balls intentionally, because he can see where the balls are going before they even leave the pitcher’s hand.

Quint watches like Georgie does, glancing over at the pairs as he catches Eugene’s rather sad pitches. They’re sad not because he’s a bad pitcher, but because he never gets a chance to pitch and the frustration is obvious.

Dean nails his pitches straight into Cas’ glove, clearly with a little pent-up frustration of his own.

“How are you two feeling, Dean and Georgie?” Coach asks. “You warmed up yet?”

“I need a few more pitches,” Georgie says, tossing another one to Mark.

Dean, too, continues to pitch at Cas, though his pitches are notably slower than Georgie’s. Cas honestly isn’t sure who he prefers.

“How about now, boys?”

“I’m good,” Dean says, folding the ball into his glove and wiping his forearm across his face.

Georgie nods and does the same, twisting his arm to hold his glove against the plane of his chest. Cas goes to stand next him.

Coach calls the boys in. “We’ll scrimmage today. Mark and Georgie are captains of each team. Dean’s with Mark and Cas’s with Georgie. You two can pick the rest.”

Georgie and Mark play rock paper scissors to decide who picks first. Georgie wins. “I want you to sort yourselves by position,” he says.

The team has two players to a position - a senior player and a younger one. Cas comes to stand next to Georgie as the team sorts itself. “I can hear his thoughts,” Cas murmurs. “He’s considering who can hit the hardest off of you. You should try to take the harder hitters, but also try for a solid outfield, as anyone who hits off of you will most likely not hit into the infield.”

Georgie nods. “Who does he want most?”

“Well, he’s not sure. He’s trying to determine your strategy. I would pick the player you think best defensively, to throw him off. Give him one power hitter.”

Georgie nods and considers. Then he chooses the older shortstop, a solid hitter and an amazing fielder. “Good?”

“Good.”

Mark chooses the younger right fielder - the kid has a lot to learn about fielding, but he can swing a bat like no other. Georgie chooses the starting center fielder. Mark frowns.

The teams are quickly divided, and, from what Cas can tell, relatively even. Georgie gathers their team by one dugout.

“What’s the order, Georgie?” the center fielder asks.

“Catcher, shortstop, center field, first base, pitcher, left field, third base, right field, second base,” Georgie says. “No, wait, right field before third base.”

Everyone nods and Cas starts taking his gear off - they’re batting first. Georgie kneels to help him, and Cas can feel his fingers lingering just slightly as he helps to undo the straps. The shin pads are bulky, but so is his hockey gear.

Cas leans down to do the other guard, letting his lips just graze Georgie’s forehead. Georgie smiles at him as he stands and then hands him a helmet. Cas pulls off his chest protector and pulls on the helmet. Dean is sending warmup pitches into Mark’s glove. Cas steps up to the plate. One of the coaches is acting as umpire, standing behind Mark.

Cas watches one of Dean’s pitches come in. Even if it’s called a strike, he still wants to see what Dean is trying to do.

“Strike,” says Quint. “Cas, I want you swinging.”

“Yes, Coach,” Cas says. He watches as Dean winds up and then sets himself up for a hit to right field. He sends it just slightly behind the right fielder. A better fielder could have caught it, but Cas gets a double.

The shortstop steps up. Dean frowns at him and gets him to two-two. He has to start swinging. Dean throws a pitch in his weak spot, but he hits it - a grounder to the third baseman. The second the ball leaves the third baseman’s hand, flying towards first, Cas is off, running towards third. He makes it, but the shortstop is out.  
The center fielder comes up to the plate, and he gives a minute nod to Cas. Cas grins and takes his leadoff as Dean starts his windup. Cas makes a noise, just enough to throw Dean off. The pitch flies towards home, and so does Cas when it gets by Mark. Dean goes to cover, standing in front of the plate with his glove out, ball already inside for tag. Cas grins and goes faster, slamming into Dean almost as hard as he can. Dean loses the ball as the two go down, and Cas lands on top of the pitcher - and the plate. Cas touches home, grins, and holds a hand out to Dean.

Dean glares at him but takes it. Cas claps him on the shoulder, whispering, “Sorry, Dean.”

“Yeah, sure,” Dean mutters. “You just always have to win, don’t you?”

“Dean -”

Dean huffs and turns away. Cas also turns away, grabbing his helmet from where it landed and walking to stand with the team. Georgie claps him on the shoulder.

“Nice steal,” he says.

“Yeah, good job, Cas.”

Cas nods and starts strapping his gear back on. Georgie helps, inhaling as his nose presses against Cas’ leg. They leave the top two straps of the gear undone, and Cas doesn’t put his chestplate on - yet.

“Go,” says Cas. “Put your helmet on, warm up.”

Georgie smiles at him and punches his shoulder lightly. “Thanks, Mom.”

Cas raises an eyebrow, and Georgie goes. Cas plops down on the bench, watching the game. Cas is the only run Dean lets in, though Georgie and the first baseman both get on base. Cas is pulling his mask when Georgie jogs in from second. Left and right field both got out at first.

Georgie catches the ball from Dean, and Cas squats behind the plate.

//  
“Dean, do you really think ignoring me is going to make something good happen for you?” Cas frowns at the boy currently standing under the spray in the locker room.

Dean doesn’t turn around, simply putting shampoo in his hair. “I don’t think anything, Cas,” he says, doing that “I’m exhausted and don’t want to talk about this” voice he does so well.

“Dean.”

Dean turns around, dully meeting Cas’ flat stare. “This is not the place, Castiel.”

Cas snaps his fingers, speeding everyone up. Then he grabs Dean’s shoulder and nearly drags him to where he can fly the two to a secluded spot in the woods. “Speak. Spill. Everything.”

Dean starts talking. Slowly, at first, starting with Georgie. Then he speaks of not feeling as good as Cas, in every aspect. Then he loops back to Georgie, and how the boy takes up too much of Cas’ precious time and doesn’t treat Cas how he deserves. He mentions worrying he’s going to disappoint Cas and Bobby. Then, shyly, he adds that he probably shouldn’t have blown up at Cas like that.

Cas hugs him tightly, and Dean’s hands find Cas’ back slowly. “Dean, it would be very, very difficult for you to disappoint me. And Bobby loves you more than anyone except me.”

Dean grips Cas more tightly. “Thank you, Cas.”

“Now let’s get home so you can do your work.” Cas takes Dean’s hand and takes them home.

“Dude, you know what we should do on Sunday?” Dean says, walking up the porch steps.

“What?”

“Or, well, Saturday, I guess, after the game.”

“What?” Cas opens the door.

“We should go camping for a night,” Dean says. “Georgie loves it, and so do I. I’m sure Lisa won’t mind.”

Cas considers. Then he nods and disappears.

Dean grabs a snack from the kitchen and goes upstairs. Cas hasn’t disappeared in a while, and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t worried - Cas only disappears when an angel calls him or when Georgie does. He’s not sure which he’d rather it be.

Sam comes into the room, trailing his backpack and with his hat pulled low and his hood up. “Dean?” he says quietly.

“What’s up, Sam?” Dean says, patting the bed.

Sam slowly pulls back the hood and takes off the hat. Underneath the hat, his eye is black. “I don’t want Bobby or Dad to see.”

“Who did this to you?” Dean’s fists clench around his pencil.

“It doesn’t matter, Dean,” Sam says, scratching his eyebrow. “But how do I hide it? Like for real?”

Dean frowns and crosses his arms. “I won’t help me til you tell me who beat up my brother so I can smack them into tomorrow.”

Sam chews on his lip. “I’ll just ask Cas later.”

Dean prays to Cas, telling him to return. “Oh yeah? He’ll side with me.”

“Sam, you shouldn’t withhold that information from Dean. He’ll have me search your mind if you don’t tell him.” Cas sets a hand on Sam’s shoulder and used the other to move his chin up so he can examine the eye better. “Nasty.”

Sam sighs. “It’s embarrassing, Dean.”

“Sam.”

“It was a girl, alright?” Sam crosses his arms. “I asked Jess out, and she punched me.”

“You asked her out…and she punched you?”

Cas backs away from Sam.

“Well, I asked her out a few times after she said no,” Sam says.

“Sam,” Dean says, “if she says no, she means no. She will definitely let you know if she ever changes her mind.”

Sam groans. “Okay, I’m sorry. Now help?”

“When did you get the black eye?”

“Right before Bobby picked me up,” Sam mutters, looking down again.

Dean gets out of the chair and kneels to look at the eye again. “Well, no one saw it, hopefully, and if anyone did, you can just say an ice pack did the trick.” He reaches out for Cas’ hand and sets it on Sam’s face. “Alright, Cas.”

Cas hesitates. “Dean, I don’t -”

“Please, Cas?” Sam says.

Cas sighs and heals the black eye. “Dean, I have to go, but the three of us should talk.” Then he disappears once again, and Dean sits back on his haunches.

“Does he do that a lot?” Sam says.

“Yeah,” Dean answers. “Dude, you live under the same roof as us. You should notice when he comes and goes.”

“Dean, he lives with you. Everyone knows Cas is yours. Yeah, I guess he has duty towards me, and Adam, and now Karen and Bobby, but Cas is yours, not ours.”

Then he leaves, Dean staring after his little brother. Jesus. The kid is too old for himself.

//  
“It’s late, Cas.”

Cas sighs and slips into bed. “My apologies.”

“Where the fuck were you, Cas?” Dean rolls over and slips a leg between those of the angel.

“I am a warrior, Dean,” he reminds the boy who currently presses his nose into Cas’ neck. “There was a skirmish,” he adds. “I was killing demons.”

Dean’s hands run over Cas’ arms. “Were you hurt at all?”

“Dean, I’m an angel.”

Dean stares him down. “Cas.”

Cas sighs. “My vessel went uninjured, and the only thing wrong with my Grace is that it is diminished. I need sleep.”

Dean hugs him tightly. “Then get some sleep, angel boy.” He tucks his face back into Cas’ neck and the two drift off.

//  
This weekend, John has decided that he will devote all his time here to training Dean and Sam. He is not yet satisfied with the training of his sons. As such, Dean and Sam are each pulled from their beds by an ankle. By the time John has pulled Dean out of bed, Cas is already dressed, though Dean is still in his boxers.

“Get up, boy,” John says.

Cas tosses him some clothing. Then he starts on making the bed.

Dean groans and lets his head fall back to hit the floor. “Dad, it’s five am on a Saturday.”

“Do demons care when it is? I don’t think so. Get up, Dean.” Then he slams the door.

Cas offers him an arm, the bed done. “You should put the shorts on, Dean. John will not be happy if he has to return.” Then he leaves to go talk to Sam. The boy is sleepily pulling a shirt on, watching to make sure he doesn’t wake Adam. Cas smiles at him and gestures for him to come out of the bedroom.

“Why is Dad making us get up so early?” Sam asks, rubbing his eyes as Cas sets a hand on his shoulder.

Cas pats his shoulder lightly. “Training, Sam, what else?” Then he disappears.

Sam makes his way to the yard and sits on an old oil drum, rubbing his eyes again. “Dean,” he says, “where does Cas go?”

“It depends, Sammy,” Dean says. Then he crosses his arms.

John lugs a bag out of the house. “Where’s the angel?”

“Who knows?”

John grunts. “Alright. Get knives, boys.”

Dean and Sam meet each other’s eyes. “Um, Dad…”

“You’ll be fine, you pussies. Now pick up the fuckin’ knives.”

Dean swallows and obeys, and Sam follows a moment later. John picks up a knife of his own and attacks a straw dummy.

//

 _Cas,_ Dean prays irritably, _where the fuck are you, you bastard?_

Cas appears on the bed, shirtless and with a hickey on his collarbone. “My apologies, Dean. I was occupied.”

“By Georgie?”

A pause. “Yes, Dean.” He reaches around on the bed as if looking for something. “I will be back.”

“Goddamnit,” Dean mutters as he disappears. He gently probes the wound Sammy left him on his side. “Cas!”

Cas reappears, shirt on this time. “I will look at the cut, Dean.” He comes to stand next to Dean, placing his hand over the cut and healing it. “Is Sam alright?”

“ _You_ left _us_. Go check on him yourself.” Dean crosses his arms and pouts.

Cas touches his temple. “Sleep, Dean.” He catches the boy in his arms. Then he tucks him in and goes to Sam’s room. Adam has awoken and is no longer in his bed. Sam sits on the bed, peering at the wounds on his stomach, chest, arms, and one on his leg. He wears only boxers. “You’re bleeding onto the bed, Sam.”

Sam scowls. “If you’d have been there, you could have healed me. Where were you, anyway?”

Cas is silent, hands moving over Sam apologetically. “Sorry, Sam. Is there anything else I can do to assist you?” The cuts are just faded red stars now.

“No!”

Cas touches his temple and puts him to sleep in Dean’s bed. Then he plods down the stairs. Adam runs over to him. “Cas!”

Cas chuckles and picks him up, carrying him over to the couch, where John sits, beer in right hand. Cas replaces the alcohol with water. It is far too early for John to be drunk.

“Fuckin’ -”

“Your toddler is here,” Cas gently reminds him. “What did you do this morning to make Sam and Dean so disagreeable?”

“If you’d been there, they would have been happier,” John admits. “Where did you go, anyway?”

“That is not of importance,” Cas says, thinking of the hickey on his hip Dean didn’t see. “Why would you have them fight each other with knives? Dean is a superior enough fighter that Sam was injured.”

“They both need to learn.”

“I’m aware, John, but there are better ways than forcing your older son to injure your younger son.” Cas frowns.

“That’s more or less how Dean learned,” John says.

“And look how great he turned out,” Cas says, scowling at him. “John, many times we have warned you about ruining your sons’ lives. Why can you never listen?”

“I’m _trying_ , Cas. I don’t know how to do this shit! Mary was the one good at it. I got stuck with three sons I don’t know how to take care of.” John sighs. “I’m trying.”

Cas stands, not answering, and walks to the kitchen again. Adam is playing with Cas’ hair over his shoulder. He sits across from Karen, who is going over coupons.

“Good morning, Karen,” Cas says softly. “Anything you would like my help with?”

“Would you go over Sam, Dean, and Adam’s clothes to see what they need replaced and anything else they need? For next school year, please, unless there are any urgent replacements.”

Cas smiles. “Of course, Karen.”

“Oh, you’re such a darling,” Karen says, pinching his cheek lightly.

Cas chuckles. “Thank you, Karen, but I don’t even have to move to do what you ask.”

“Where are Sam and Dean?”

“Asleep. They were tired and grumpy after John had them do - uh, had them do some early-morning training.” Cas smiles. “Now let me just inventory their clothing. Adam starts kindergarten next year, correct?”

“Yes.”

Cas hums and pulls up the clothing in his head. “Dean needs a good amount of new clothing. He is growing and his jeans and shirts are almost all too small. Sam will need less; he can wear Dean’s hand-me-downs. He should begin to try them on soon. Perhaps John has some of Sam and Dean’s old clothing for Adam, but I’m sure you now he, too, needs new clothing.”

“Bobby and I are struggling somewhat,” Karen admits. “We can provide for the boys, but having John here puts stress on things, especially as he doesn’t support the boys at all.”

“I can purchase any clothing the boys cannot scrounge up or find hand-me-downs for.” Cas sets Adam down and sends him to go play in the backyard. “Is there anything else I can do, Karen?”

“No, thank you, Cas.” She kisses his head. “Go have fun with Georgie.”

He reddens slightly. “I -”

“You have a lil’ hickey here, sweetie,” she says, pointing to a spot just under his ear.

Cas wills it away and then flies to Georgie’s room. The teen smiles, head resting on arms locked behind his head. “Hey, baby.”

Cas checks to make sure the door is locked and then shucks himself of his pants and shirt, crawling back into bed with Georgie. “Hello. My apologies for leaving so unexpectedly. Dean and Sam were injured because John wanted them to practice knife-fighting.”

Georgie traces a hand over Cas’ stomach and then brushes his thumb over the hickey he left earlier. “Honestly, I’m sorry. I got off, and you didn’t. You still up?”

Cas kisses him. “You are not obligated to.”

Georgie smiles and presses a kiss to his navel, hands now on Cas’ hips. “I don’t mind, really.”

Cas watches as Georgie performs oral sex on him. Unfortunately, even with the intense pleasure he is receiving, Cas cannot block Dean from his mind, so Dean’s name is on the tip of his tongue as he comes. Fortunately, he doesn’t say it.

“That was pleasurable,” Cas says, slightly breathless.

Georgie winks and wipes his mouth. Then he sucks a hickey onto Cas’ neck. “No problem, Cas.”

“You enjoy leaving marks on me,” Cas says, rubbing at the newest mark on his neck.

“Yeah,” Georgie says. “It shows you’re mine.”

Cas considers. “May I try?”

“What? Giving me a hickey?”

Cas nods. “I am curious, I admit, and I don’t think Dean would be very receptive to me requesting to mark him.”

Georgie laughs. “Cas, it’s something you do to someone you’re engaging in some sort of sex with.” He bares his neck to the angel. “Give it a go, angel boyfriend.”

Cas straddles his stomach and works at his neck. Georgie obviously enjoys it, and Cas leaves a few. Then there’s a knock at Georgie’s door, and the teen freezes, as does Cas.

“Georgie, get your lazy butt out of bed,” his sister says. “It’s eleven.”

Georgie begins to panic, hands gripping the hips of the angel on his belly.

“I made it so they cannot hear us,” Cas murmurs. “I will leave now.” He gets out of the bed and pulls his jeans and shirt on, lifting the magic as he leaves, reappearing in Dean’s room and allowing the boy, who’s now in a less foul mood, to wake. Then he does the same for Sam.

Dean sits up in the bed, rubbing his eyes. Cas left a trace of Grace in him, because he does not like it when Dean is grumpy. Cas sits on the bed, pulling his shirt off and replacing it with a cleaner one.

“Nice hickeys,” Dean mumbles.

“You’ve had many hickeys,” Cas points out.

“Yeah, but I’m no angel. Say, have you talked to Lisa and Georgie? About camping tonight?” Dean slides out of bed and runs a hand through his hair.

Cas shakes his head. “No, but we can call them now.” He tosses Dean a phone and uses his angel-phone, as Dean calls it, to call Georgie’s house. “Hello, Mrs. Bauman. Is Georgie available?”

“I think Katie just woke him up,” Mrs. Bauman says. “I’ll go up and get him.” The phone is set somewhere, and footsteps fade and come back.

“Hey, Cas,” Georgie says.

“Hello, Georgie. Dean would like me to invite you to go camping - _ow_ , Dean! What was that for?”

“Don’t say I told you to tell him, just ask him! Jesus, you’re so stupid sometimes.”

“Okay, Dean says to -”

“Cas!”

“Will you come camping with us tonight? Until tomorrow?” Cas shoves Dean off the bed and, he falls with a loud thump. “Sorry, Georgie.”

“I would love to come camping with you two. Do you want me to bring the tent we used last time?”

Cas turns to Dean. “Should Georgie bring his little tent?”

“No, the four of us can share that one in Bobby’s basement.” Dean stands up.

Cas relays the information and hangs up. “Do you need to do anything else?”

“Yeah, we need to prepare. And Bobby needs my help with a car. And I’ll need someone to convince Dad to let me use the truck or the Impala to get there, ‘cause I don’t wanna hike for that long.” Dean rubs his eyes. “C’mon, let’s go downstairs.”

//

“And have Cas bring you back if you run into any trouble,” Karen says, smoothing Dean’s hair and then Cas’.

“We will, we promise,” Dean says, steering the bunch out of the door. He climbs into the driver’s seat of the Impala, and Cas takes the seat beside him out of habit.

Georgie looks around for a moment, despite no one else hesitating, before getting in. “Shouldn’t Lisa sit up with Dean?” he says as Dean starts the car.

“Dean and I almost always sit together in the Impala,” Cas says calmly.

“Is it even legal for Dean to be driving this thing?”

Dean shrugs. “Cas’ll cover me.” Then he starts driving.

“This doesn’t bother you in the slightest?” Georgie asks Lisa.

“Dean and Cas are weird, but they work,” Lisa says. “You’ll come to accept it’s just the way things are. They’re closer than brothers, even.”

Georgie sighs and lets his head rest on the window.

Cas turns the radio on. Dean and John keep it on classic rock. Dean hums along with a Led Zeppelin song, and Cas taps along to the beat on the dash.

//

Dean and Cas set everything up while Georgie and Lisa talk on chairs that Dean packed. This time, there’s no argument about Cas cheating from the slightly disgruntled Georgie.

“Why don’t we go hunt for firewood, Georgie, and Dean and Lisa can set the tent up?” Cas suggests. Then he tugs on Georgie’s hand until the teen follows him into the woods. “I do not understand why you are upset,” Cas admits.

“You and Dean confuse me.”

“We confuse many people,” says Cas.

“Oh, c’mon.” Georgie huffs and starts to pick up wood.

“It’s true.” Cas takes his hand again. “Georgie.”

“Cas, it’s -”

“Georgie.”

The boy finally looks up, and Cas kisses him. “Why -”

“You’re my boyfriend, Georgie, not Dean.” Cas kisses him again and then also begins to pick up wood.

“Goddamnit, Cas, why do you always leave me hanging?”

“It’s enjoyable to tease you,” Cas says solemnly, arms full of wood. “Hurry.”

Georgie fills his arms, too, and Cas leads the way back, pretending he doesn’t notice Georgie watching his posterior. They set the wood next to the fire Dean has built, and Georgie pulls Cas into his lap. Dean and Lisa cuddle up on the other chair. Dean has put the foil-wrapped food into the fire.

Cas turns to straddle Georgie and gently kisses him.

“Cas! Keep it PG, please.”

Cas chuckles and licks a line up Georgie’s neck, grinning at Dean.

“Dean, it’s not like we’re jerking each other off, or anything. Cas was just kissing me.” Georgie punctuates this by pulling Cas in for another kiss, one that leaves both of them wanting more. He means to say something else, but he just holds Cas’ blue gaze, arms around the angel’s waist.

Dean and Lisa get up. Dean breaks the staring contest between Georgie and Cas by whispering to Cas, who hands him what he asked for. Then the two leave the clearing.

“Well, now that they’re gone -” Georgie starts, fiddling with the hem of Cas’ shirt with one hand and the button of his pants with the other.

Cas bites his lip. “Do we have time?”

“Hopefully,” Georgie says, undoing the button with a smile. “Please, Cas?”

“I will pause time,” Cas decides, snapping his fingers and standing up, offering Georgie a hand. Then he makes a sleeping bag appear over the pine-needle covered ground and shucks off his jeans and tee shirt. He pulls off Georgie’s tee shirt and jeans, as well. “I would think that we would not be up for more orgasms after this morning, but I find my vessel is extremely excited. Perhaps it is the quality of -”

“Oh, shut up, Cas,” Georgie says, pulling him into a kiss.

Cas traces the scar on Georgie’s pec, other hand sliding just below the waistband of the back of Georgie’s boxers. Both of them are hard, but neither tries to break the kiss or speed anything up.

Then Cas shifts to pull Georgie onto the sleeping bag. He lies on top, hands threaded into Georgie’s curls and knees on either side of his hips.

And he looks down at Georgie, smiling faintly.

//

Cas is pulling the food out of the fire when Lisa and Dean come back. Georgie is in the chair, lounging and watching the shirtless angel.

“Dude, where’s your shirt?” He glances at Georgie. “Also, those hickeys are real subtle.”

Cas and Georgie smile at each other. “I like marking him as mine,” Georgie admits, putting his arms behind his head. “And apparently Cas does, too. Besides, Dean, I can see the hickey poking out from under Lisa’s collar.”

“Dean!” Lisa exclaims, hitting him. “I told you I didn’t want any marks.”

Dean shrugs. “Sorry.”

She huffs and sits in the other chair. Dean comes to help Cas. They serve Lisa and Georgie and then take plates for themselves. Cas sits on Georgie’s lap, of course, and Dean takes a seat on the ground.

One of Georgie’s hands gently rubs at the bottom of Cas’ spine. He pays attention to the conversation, but that hand gently reminds Cas that he’s there. Once he finishes eating, he kisses Cas’ arm. “Can you let me up?” he whispers. Cas moves, and he stands, stretching. “I’m going to go use the bathroom,” he says.

“Yeah, me too,” Lisa says. “Dean, where’s the toilet paper?”

“Backseat of the Impala,” Dean says. “If anyone’s taking a shit, make sure to dig a hole and cover it when you’re done.”

They go into the woods, lit only by the dim light of twilight. Dean looks at Cas. “Why do you have to do that stuff with him?” Dean asks.

Cas holds his gaze. “What stuff, Dean?”

“Making out and having sex - and the hickeys. So many hickeys.”

Cas frowns. “You and Lisa do the same things. I find I do not understand.”

“That’s - different.” Dean pauses. “It’s different because I care about you, and I don’t like it when you date people.”

“That’s not fair, Dean.”

“How is it not fair? You’re an angel, and he’s a teenage boy. That’s not fair.” Dean crosses his arms.

“Because, Dean, if I can’t have the one I really, truly want, then I want to have the sweet, wonderful boy who likes me and who I like! I’m happy with him, Dean, and I deserve that. I don’t need to - _.” He forces a smile. “Where’s Lisa?”_

_Georgie looks between Dean, who stares at the ground determinedly, and Cas, who looks anywhere but at Dean. “She’s, um, coming. Is everything okay, Cas?”_

_“Yes, Georgie. C’mere,” he says._

_Georgie smiles and scoops him up, sitting on the chair with Cas curled up on his lap. He rubs Cas’ back gently with one hand while the other rubs his leg._

__Um, Cas, this feels weird, but Dean told me I could pray if we really needed you, and, uh we do. _John shifts. _Just, uh, please come back? It’ll be quick, I think.___ _

___Cas kisses Georgie’s cheek. “I have to go. Dean’s family needs me for something. I’ll be back soon.” Then he flies to the house, hurrying in. “What is it, John?”_ _ _

___“It’s, um, Sam. Hang on, you’ll see.” He leads Dean to the couch, where Sam writhes and sweats. They’ve tied him to the couch._ _ _

___“Why is he tied up?”_ _ _

___“Well, we tried to set him on the couch, and he kept falling off. We were worried he would hit his head.” John scratches his head. “We don’t know what’s wrong with him.”_ _ _

___“Yes, but I do.” Cas runs a hand in the air over Sam’s body and lifts the demon blood out of him. “How did a demon get access to him?”_ _ _

___“…I may have taken him hunting?”_ _ _

___“How did the demon blood get in him?” Cas crosses his arms and uses a touch of Grace to calm Sam and put him to sleep._ _ _

___“It trapped him, pinned him down. We thought it was just a Wendigo.” John rubs his eyes. “I got him back here as quickly as I could, but…”_ _ _

___“You fucking _idiot_ ,” Cas seethes. “Sam can never have access to demon blood. It will make him a good candidate for - that doesn’t matter.”_ _ _

___“But he was able to banish the demon,” John says._ _ _

___Cas rubs his temple and erases the memory from Sam’s head. “He doesn’t remember it anymore. They were targeting him.” He considers and wipes the part where Sam banished the demon from John’s memory, too, replacing with with John killing it in both their minds. “Fucking idiot,” he mutters again. “Do not take the boys out of this house without me,” he says, frowning. “I will know.” He crosses his arms. “You know what - you should go. Go for a hunt. Don’t return until next Friday.”_ _ _

___“Until next Friday,” John echoes. Then he leaves._ _ _

___Cas leans over Sam. He places his hand on the rising chest and carves runes - many types for many things - onto his chest. Most of them are so demons will be unable to recognize him. Some are for angels. Then there are layers of protection. He kisses Sam’s forehead and goes into the kitchen, where Karen cries quietly into Bobby’s shoulder._ _ _

___“He’ll be fine,” the angel says. “I fixed it, and I made it so it can’t happen again. Don’t let John leave for hunts with the boys without me.”_ _ _

___“We didn’t know he was goin’,” Bobby says. “He didn’t tell us, just took Sam and left nothin’ more than a note.”_ _ _

___Cas sighs. “I’m sorry. This is my fault. I should have sensed his distress, but…I didn’t.”_ _ _

___“No one’s perfect, Cas,” Bobby says. “Go back to your camping trip. We can take care of him.”_ _ _

___“He should wake up in about an hour. All he’ll remember is that he was injured in a hunt. Put him to bed and don’t answer his questions.” Cas rubs his eyes. “I’ll talk to him when I get back.” Then he flies back to the campsite, where both Dean and Georgie are glaring at each other, even with Lisa rubbing Dean’s shoulders and whispering to him._ _ _

___“Why’d you leave, Cas?” Dean asks as soon as he sees the angel._ _ _

___Georgie whips around._ _ _

___“Your idiot of a father got Sam injured by taking him hunting without us,” Cas says, glaring at both boys. “And I have no patience for petty arguments now, so you two better drop whatever happened.”_ _ _

___Dean is on his feet in an instant. “Is he okay?”_ _ _

___“Yes, Dean. I healed him, put runes on him, and put him to bed. And I sent John on a hunt by himself. If Gabe asks, none of this happened.” Cas goes into the tent. “I’m going to bed.”_ _ _

___All three know by now not to both an angry angel._ _ _

_____ _


	11. Chapter 11

“Little brother!” Gabriel exclaims, hugging Cas. 

“Gabriel.” Cas smiles at the older angel. “I am only younger by a hundred years.” 

“Still my little sibling,” he says, ruffling Cas’ hair. “Dean-o!” 

“Don’t call me that,” Dean says, crossing his arms. “Hi, Gabey.” 

“Ah, Cas put runes on your chest,” Gabriel says, tapping his chins. “Powerful ones. Good call, Cas.” He turns to Adam. “Hey, buddy.” Then he looks at Sam and cocks his head. “I don’t understand. I should know who he is, know all about him, but it’s…blank.” 

“I put runes on Sam’s chest, too. He’s a blank slate to all supernatural creatures,” Cas says. “It was quite a feat.”

“My ribs hurt for a while afterwards,” Sam informs Gabriel. 

“I’m sure they did,” the angel says. “Anyway, Cas, let’s go.” He grabs his arm and they disappear. 

“Dean, where did Cas go?” Sam asks. 

“This is sort of like an evaluation for Cas,” Dean says. “So he’s meeting with a few people before he comes back.” He ruffles Sam’s hair. “C’mon, let’s go play a game.” 

// 

Gabriel is a silent observer throughout the week, more or less. He follows Cas around as he does the things he always does with Dean, never commenting in front of Dean or Sam or anyone as far as Dean knows. He watches from afar at baseball practices and sits silently at lunch. When Cas goes to check on Sam during his lunch, Gabriel trails behind him. 

“Are you ever going to talk?” Dean finally says to the angel. 

“Maybe,” he says. “Maybe I like pissing you guys off.” 

“You’re not angering me,” Cas points out from under the Impala. 

“No, but I’m keeping you from Boytoy,” Gabe points out, making Cas smack his head. 

A different time, Dean pokes Gabriel one thousand three hundred and seven times, until he finally smacks the teen. 

Dean also shoots spitballs at him once, until he’s near coated. To this, Cas says, “Dean, stop,” and he does, ceasing communication with Gabriel at all.

John’s arrival at the Singers’ makes everyone anxious. Adam is starting to fear his father, just slightly, and hasn’t learned to hide it yet. Sam shows him a mixture of defiance and attention seeking. Dean is mostly silent, deferring to John sometimes but also avoiding him. 

Gabriel is also a silent non-participant in the hunt, as Cas is. The two act as guards, speaking mostly only to each other and in their heads. Dean tosses and turns at night without Cas there to sleep with, and Cas sits in a chair beside his bed, a hand on his shoulder, for most of the night each night. 

_Why is Dean like this?_ Gabriel asks. _Having popped in on your other hunts, Dean and Bobby and John usually work together better than this. Hell, even Sam is off his game._

Cas sighs. _You._

Gabriel cocks his head. _I don’t get it, little angel._

_You’re messing with our balance. You make everyone nervous._ Cas hesitates. _Dean is tired, grumpy, confused because I’m not there. I balance him out, but with you here, I’m an inactive non-participant._

Gabriel nods slowly. _I do have to say, you two have passed every other test with flying colors. If you would like to take your normal position in his hunt, I would accept that._

Relieved, Cas cuddles into the bed with Dean, who immediately, even in his sleep, tucks his head into Cas’ neck and wraps his arms around the angel’s waist. Gabriel smiles and returns the chair to its place as the angel relaxes for the first time in nearly a week. 

// 

“Alright, little brother,” Gabriel says. “You’ve passed by my standards. I’ll write you up a beautiful report, nice enough that they’ll leave you alone until Dean dies.” 

Cas’ face turns stricken. Then he covers it in a calm veneer. “Thank you, Gabriel.” 

Gabriel ruffles his head and disappears. Cas collapses onto the couch. “Jesus.”

“You could go see Georgie,” Dean suggests, threading a hand into his hair. 

Cas considers and hugs Dean. “I’ll be back soon.” He appears in Georgie’s room. “Hey, Georgie.” 

Georgie jumps a mile. “Fuckin’ - hey, Cas.” He walks over to the door and locks it. Then he sits on the bed. “C’mere.” 

Cas cuddles up to him, relaxing with him for the first time in a week, which is a long time for them. “Sorry about this week. I was stiff.” 

Georgie kisses his head. “I understand.” He hesitates. 

“You can ask,” Cas says. “I know you want to.” 

“Is it true? What you said when we were camping?” Georgie doesn’t pull away, not at all. 

“Which part?” Cas lays his head in Georgie’s lap and smiles up at the teen. 

“About me.” Georgie is suddenly bashful. 

Cas considers. “About you being sweet and wonderful and me being happy with you?” 

“Well, yeah, but also…me being a second choice.” Georgie bites his lip. “Is Dean your first choice?” 

Cas sighs. “I wouldn’t say you’re my second choice. I would say you weren’t who I initially picked, but that once I found you I realized I really liked you. And…Dean was my initial pick, but I can’t have him, so it doesn’t matter. But you, Georgie, you do matter. I promise.” He leans up to kiss him. 

Georgie gives into the kiss. When they break apart, he says, “I’m worried my uncle is onto us.” 

“Why?” 

“He gives me suggestive looks about you and has started calling me a cocksucker under his breath.” Georgie blushes slightly. “I’m sorry.” 

“What are his job skills?” 

“He’s a hacker and coder,” Georgie says. 

Cas snaps his fingers. “A job offer from someone offering board and wages was just send to him in California. He’ll accept, and won’t be back except to visit.” 

Georgie laughs. “Thanks, I think. It’s a miracle.” 

“That it is.” Cas kisses his head. “I’ve got to go, Georgie.” He flies back to Dean, who’s doing some work at their desk. 

“That was fast. I expected it to take longer for you both to finish.” Dean grins. “For him to fuck you and all.” 

Cas raises his eyebrows. “We did not engage in sexual acts, Dean, and it does not befit you to guess at the sexual positions of others based solely upon their manliness.” 

The smile slides off Dean’s face, replaced by a blush. “Well, am I wrong?” 

“Yes.” Cas smirks. “Though we have yet to participate in such acts, Georgie would rather be penetrated, or so his fantasies seem to indicate.” 

Dean covers his ears. “No more, no more!” 

Cas chuckles. “Alright, Dean, I was just teasing.” He looks over at Dean, hand splayed over his stomach. “He feels threatened by you.” 

“Yeah,” Dean says. “Well, I would, too. We’re like brothers. It’s a strong bond.” 

“Yes, Dean, it is,” Cas says, wondering how Dean is able to ignore that Cas is in love with him. 

Dean smiles. “Now let me do my work. Go play with Sammy or something.” 

“I HEARD THAT, AND DON’T CALL ME SAMMY!” Sam yells. “I’M ELEVEN!” 

“SORRY, SAMANTHA!” Dean yells back. 

“Hush, Dean,” Cas says. Dean only grins. 

// 

“Ew, dude, cover up or something,” Dean says, covering his eyes.

Cas shrugs. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen, Dean. Plus, Georgie is covered up.” 

Dean sighs. “Cas, it’s not - it doesn’t work that way. Just ‘cause I’ve seen your dick doesn’t mean I want to continue seeing it.” 

Cas grabs some of the sheet and pulls it over his legs. “Okay. What’s up?” 

“Dad’s drunk and disorderly,” Dean says. “Can you deal with him?” 

“Really, Dean? Now?” Cas gestures to Georgie, whose stomach is under his head. 

“I let you finish,” Dean points out. 

Cas huffs and presses a kiss to Georgie’s rib, which is the only place he can reach at this point. Then he slides out of bed and pulls a pair of basketball shorts on, making his way down the stairs. John is outside, yelling, and Cas merely touches his temple before he falls to the ground, asleep. 

Then Cas flies back up to the room, snuggling under Georgie’s arm. Dean is now seated on the desk chair, in an animated conversation with Georgie, who’s put boxers on. When Cas appears, Georgie does nothing more than kiss the top of his head, allowing Cas to press small kisses to his chest. 

Georgie idly glances at his watch as Dean talks about baseball and then jumps out of the bed, panicked. “Fuck, Cas, I was supposed to be home in five minutes. 

There’s no way I can make it, and - fuck, Cas, how many hickeys do I have?” 

Cas kisses his forehead. “Calm down, Georgie. Put your clothing on and I can get you home in five minutes.” He shoots an apologetic look towards Dean as the two slide out of bed. Georgie steps into his jeans, discarded by the foot of the bed, and Cas pulls his shorts off to pull underwear on and then puts jeans on along with a tee shirt. 

A knock sounds at the door. Georgie fixes his sweatshirt, and Dean calls, “Come in!” 

Bobby comes in, solemn-faced. “Dean, Cas, there’s a Mrs. Bailey on the phone. She says she needs to speak to you urgently.” 

Dean and Cas meet eyes, panic evident in Dean’s, and race down the stairs. Cas beats Dean to the phone and picks it up, though he lets Dean listen. 

“Ms. Bailey?” Cas says. “This is Cas. Dean is listening, too, and Georgie is here.” 

“Cas,” she says, voice breaking. “Shawn is in the hospital.” 

“What? Why?” Cas grabs Georgie’s hand and relays the information as it comes. 

“He came out to his parents,” she says. “His father got angry and beat him until he was nearly dead. His cousins joined in, and…the doctors are optimistic, but…you should come.” She hesitates. “And perhaps you could bring the Singers.” 

“We’ll be there as soon as we can,” Cas promises. “Thank you for calling us.” 

“Of course,” she says. 

They hang up the phone. “BOBBY! KAREN!” Dean yells. 

They rush in. “Dean? Are you okay?” Karen asks, kissing his head. 

“Our friend is in the hospital. Can you take us?” Dean asks, wringing his hands. 

“Yes, of course,” Karen says, going and getting coats. “What about Sam and Adam?”

“I’ll have John care for them,” Cas says, going outside, waking, and sobering the man. “Take care of your kids. Emergency.” 

John comes into the house, where everyone rushes around and Sam sits on the stairs with Adam, lower lip trembling. 

Georgie is on the phone with his parents, talking in a low whisper. Dean has a bag and is putting some of Shawn’s favorite junk food (from Dean’s secret stash, naturally), and Bobby and Karen are making sure one of Bobby’s old vans is still functional. 

Cas puts a hand on Dean’s back. “Take the bag out and go help Bobby. You have enough in there.” 

Dean nods and obeys, first hugging Cas tightly. “It could have been me, Cas,” he murmurs. 

“I would never let that happen to you.” Cas kisses his forehead. “Go, Dean.” Then he walks over to Georgie, pressing a kiss into his temple. “What are they saying?” 

“They want to come.” 

“Tell them he can only have a few guests,” Cas says. Georgie relays the message, listens for a moment, and hangs up. “Come outside with us.” Cas takes Georgie’s hand, clinging to it. 

Georgie sighs shakily. “It could have been me, Cas.” 

Cas hears the echoes of Dean’s words. “Let’s go.” They get into the farthest-back seat and Georgie’s hand taps a pattern onto Cas’ leg erratically. 

“Hurry!” Dean says. “Bobby!” 

“Dean, calm down,” Cas says, reaching over the seat and slipping Dean some Grace. “Dean, it’s alright,” he adds, stroking his head. 

Dean slumps back against the seat. “Cas,” he says, voice breaking. “Cas.” 

Cas comes to crouch in front of him, cuddling him as he would cuddle another angel. He nuzzles Dean’s cheek and taps at the spot where Dean would have wings, and Dean responds as an angel would, nuzzling back and stroking Cas’ arms.

Finally, they pull up to the hospital, and Cas helps Dean out, still letting him have a little Grace. Cas also kisses Georgie’s cheek before they go into the hospital. 

Ms. Bailey sits in the waiting room and jumps up when she sees them. There’s a cup of coffee in her hands, and she starts walking, knowing the boys will trail her.

“He woke up this morning,” she says. “That’s when he asked for me. His parents haven’t come in. They threw him on the steps of the hospital last night. After me, he asked for Mikey, who I called just before I called you three. Mel and Michelle are on their way. Maria is biking over. So is Sophia.” She pauses outside the door and then enters. “Shawn?” 

He grunts from the bed. “Hi, Ms. Bailey. Is Mikey here?” 

“No, but Dean, Cas, and Georgie are,” she says. “Can we come in?” 

“Yeah,” he says. 

She turns back to the teens. “This may be a bit hard for you to see,” she says. “He’s…it’s bad.” 

Dean takes Cas’ hand, shaking slightly. Cas squeezes Dean’s hand and takes Georgie’s, and the three follow Ms. Bailey in. 

Shawn is nearly unrecognizable. Aside from bandages covering half of his face, his other eye is purple and swollen shut and his lip has been split. His head is shaved, most likely to care for the cuts on it. 

Cas is the first one to step forward, taking the hand without the catheter. “Hello, Shawn.” 

“Hey, Cas.” He shifts. “Dean, Georgie.” 

Dean is suddenly next to Cas, putting his hand over Cas’. “We’re here.” 

He nods and relaxes slightly. “When will Mikey be here?” 

“As soon as he can,” Ms. Bailey asks. “Everything will be alright, Shawn.” 

He sighs then. “Anyone wanna play cards with me?” 

“Can you see?” Dean asks. 

“Yes!” He huffs. “I’m okay. Or, at least, I’m getting better. I’m bored and I don’t want you three here if you’re going to treat me any differently.” 

“Cards it is,” Georgie says, pulling up a chair for Cas to sit in. “Do you mind if Cas and I are a team?” 

“You just want him to sit on your lap,” Dean accuses with a grin, pulling a chair up to the other side and offering Shawn the bag of food. “Want some junk?” 

“Hell, yeah,” he says, pawing through it and pulling out a Moonpie. “Dean, can you grab the cards?” 

Dean hands them to him and takes a Moonpie for himself. Cas settles into Georgie’s lap and accepts the cards from Dean. “What are we playing?” Cas asks. He shows the cards to Georgie, eyes still fixed on Dean. 

“Let’s play BS,” Shawn says. 

Cas gives Dean a confused look. Dean automatically extends his hand, and Cas touches it to receive the information. He nods and settles back into Georgie’s chest, letting the boy handle the cards and mostly just processing the scene himself. He also takes it upon himself to comb through the minds of the nurses and doctors caring for Shawn and selecting the least homophobic ones to work with him. 

Ms. Bailey raps on the door again. Georgie has been doing something with the cards, so it is Cas, not Shawn, that calls out, “Hello?” 

“Shawn,” comes the response, and Mikey rushes in, Ms. Bailey and Maria trailing behind him. 

Shawn smiles from the bed, handing Dean his cards. Mikey kisses Shawn’s cheek and then buries his face in his neck. There are murmurs, but Cas and Dean do not strain to hear them. 

Georgie rubs slow circles into the side of Cas, his head leaned against the angel’s back. 

“I’m so glad you’re -” 

“I’ll be fine, baby,” Shawn murmurs. “I love you,” he adds, softer. 

“You, too,” Mikey says, not even trying to hide the tears now.

Shawn kisses his head. “Alright, I think I’m done with the emotions for now. Hello, Maria. Would you like to join us in BS? We can reshuffle.” 

“That’d be great,” she says. She pulls up another chair, and Mikey perches on the bed next to Shawn. 

Dean collects, shuffles, and redistributes the cards. Cas lays back against Georgie and watches the game idly, occasionally murmuring to Georgie about who’s lying. Naturally, Georgie and Cas win quickly. 

“Cheaters,” Dean says, grinning at Cas. 

Cas cocks his head. “What do you mean, Dean? I was just lying here.” 

“We both know you could read every one of us,” Dean says, sticking his tongue out. “Last time I let you two team up.” 

“You mean last time you let Cas not be on your team,” Georgie teases, kissing Cas’ cheek. “I personally love having him on my team.” 

Dean rolls his eyes. “‘Course you do.” 

Cas nods toward the door. “Mel and Michelle are here,” he says. Then they knock. 

“How’d you know that, Cas?” Maria asks. 

“I could hear them,” Cas says. “You people just don’t pay enough attention.” 

Dean scoffs very quietly. “Hey, Mel,” he says. He’s taken a liking to the girl who enjoys much the same things as he: cars, rock music, pissing people off, sports, and girls. “Michelle.” 

Cas nods to the two, who look for chairs and then go outside to get some. Then Cas closes his eyes for a moment and, when he opens them, climbs off Georgie, kissing his cheek. He walks around the bed to Dean and whispers, “Bobby and Karen have questions for us.” 

“About what?” 

“Shawn,” Cas says, tugging on his sleeve. “Anyone want anything from the vending machine?” he adds to those around the room looking at them. 

No one says anything, and Cas shrugs as they walk out of the room. “Hey, why aren’t we going back to the waiting room?” Dean says, tugging on Cas’ sleeve now. 

“They’re in a conference room,” Cas says, continuing to walk. “Come on, Dean.” 

Dean huffs and jogs to catch up, standing close. “What do they want to talk about?” 

“Bringing Shawn to join our mixed family,” Cas says. “And Bobby wants me to add an extension onto the house. Something about more room in ‘that tiny, God-forsaken shack.’” 

Dean chuckles and follows Cas into the room. Cas slips Bobby a sheath of papers when he hugs the man, also changing state records to reflect the fact that Bobby is supposedly fostering Cas due to neglect at the hands of some people named Novak. 

“This is Cas, our, uh, foster son, and this is Dean. He lives with us, too, but his father still has custody.” Bobby slides the folder over to the woman that sits across from him and Karen. “This is Cas’ paperwork.” 

“Why does Dean live with you?” 

Bobby shifts. “Um, Dean, could you, you know, not listen here?” 

“I know what you’re gonna say, Bobby,” Dean says, and then looks at the social worker. “I live with Bobby because my dad is a deadbeat that couldn’t care for me, Sam, and Adam if he tried, which he wouldn’t. This way, we at least have a stable home and good parents. And Cas.” 

“So how many children do you care for at the moment, Mr. and Mrs. Singer?” The social worker only gives Cas’ fake file a cursory glance. 

“Four, at the moment,” Karen says. “But we have the resources and the space for more, especially a friend of the boys.” 

She purses her lips. “How many rooms do you have?” 

“Three bedrooms, plus another that’s almost done being constructed,” Cas says. “Dean and I will probably finish it by Monday.” 

“You and Dan are building extensions to the house?” she asks, frowning. 

“ _Dean_ and I enjoy building.” Cas scratches his head. “Bobby, Karen, do you need us for anything else?” 

“No, not really,” Karen says. “We’ll be in to speak with Shawn closer to when visiting hours are over.” She leans over and kisses each of their heads. “Be good, boys.” 

They head out, and Cas hands Dean a Pepsi. Then he takes it back and hands him water. 

“Hey!” 

“You’ll be up until two in the morning if you drink this,” Cas tell him, sipping at it. 

Dean huffs and rolls his eyes. “Can I have some?” 

Cas opens the door to Shawn’s room. “Dean, when I have to share a bed with a restless Dean, I become a cranky being. Do we want that?” He scoffs and takes a chug of the Pepsi, winking at Dean. 

“Asshole,” Dean says, pouting. “I love Pepsi.” 

“And I love sleep.” Cas plops down on Georgie’s lap and takes another sip, making sure Dean is watching. 

Dean huffs. “How close are you guys to the end of this game?” 

Georgie’s thumb comes to rest where Cas’ shirt has ridden up (he thinks it’s probably one of Dean’s, but he’s never really sure whose clothing is whose and neither is Dean, so they just share). He gently begins to rub at the skin there, and Cas stubbornly ignores it, refusing to play at this game of his with Dean. Dean is also staring at the spot, and annoyance is obvious. 

_Dean, calm yourself. I’m not playing along. It may be inappropriate in this setting, but no one else has noticed. If they do, it will be because of your death-glare at him._

Dean turns his gaze on Cas, frowning, and then rubs at his own jawline. Then he stands and walks into the bathroom. 

Georgie nearly smirks until Cas digs an elbow into a particularly sensitive part of his ribs. He listens in on the conversation. While he and Dean were gone, Sophia arrived and pulled up another chair. 

“Ow,” Georgie huffs into his ear. “Was that necessary?” 

“Don’t be a jackass,” Cas says, not turning. “Don’t upset Dean when he’s already fucked up.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t lie to me, either.” Cas frowns and gets up, going outside the room to get another chair. 

// 

Cas laughs loudly when someone dares him to walk around in a handstand after Dean tells a funny story about Cas doing a handstand to get Adam to go to sleep.

“C’mon, Cas, don’t be a baby,” Dean says, grinning at him. “Show ‘em.” 

Cas huffs and gets onto his hands easily. “Join me, Dean, if you can,” he taunts, grinning at the boy, whose face appears upside down to Cas as he walks around on his hands, being upside not affecting the angel in the slightest. “Unless you’re too weak?” he adds innocently. 

Dean growls at him and gets on his hands, wobbling more than Cas but holding his own. “See?” he says, smirking. 

“But how long can you hold it?” Cas challenges, continuing to walk around, because it’s actually easier to move. 

“We’ll see,” Dean says, laughing. 

“Stop showing off, you two,” Mikey calls. “We know you’re incredible specimens of male athleticism.” 

Georgie’s gaze is sharply focused on Cas’ chest, where his shirt has ridden up (or fallen down, he muses) to his pits. So has Dean’s. 

Dean finally flops over onto his back, gasping. “C’mon, Cas,” he wheedles. “You won.” 

Cas grins and jumps to his feet. “I always win against you, Dean.” 

Dean laughs. “Yeah, I guess.” 

A nurse comes into the room. “Visiting hours are over,” she says softly. “I hope to see you all tomorrow with Shawn, but he needs rest right now.” 

Everyone gets up and starts packing up. Georgie touches Cas’ shoulder. “I need to get back to my car.” 

“It’s in the parking lot of the hospital,” Cas says, not meeting his eyes. “Go.” 

“Cas, I -” 

“We’ll talk later.” Cas pushes him towards the door, focusing instead on putting chairs back.  
The nurse fusses over Shawn, who’s saying goodbye to Mikey with a kiss. When they finally pull apart, Mikey sighs and kisses his head. “I love you,” he murmurs.

“Go home and rest, Mikey,” Shawn says. “I love you, too.” 

Mikey goes out the door, holding it open for Bobby, Karen, and the social worker. 

“Who are you?” Shawn says, frowning. 

“Our parents,” Dean says. “Well, sorta. They take care of me and Cas and my little brothers.” 

The social worker stands next to the bed. “Well, Shawn, you know you can’t go back ho- back to your parents. The state has taken custody of you, at least for now. And the Singers have offered to foster you until you’re eighteen, and then you can do as you please. I think you should take this offer, but technically you’re free to request a group home.” 

He purses his lips. “Why did you offer?” He stares straight at the Singers.

“We already have four boys, we might as well add one more,” Bobby says. 

“What he means is that any friend of Cas and Dean’s is like a child to us,” Karen says. “We wanted to help, and Ms. Bailey suggested we offer.” 

Shawn still frowns. “But…why would you want me?” 

“Why wouldn’t we?” 

“I’m a fag?” he offers. 

Bobby laughs. “Kid, if we cared about that, Dean and Cas wouldn’t live with us.” 

Dean reddens beside Cas, scratching his head. “Look, Shawn, it’s a pretty good place to live. Bobby and Karen are real nice. And Cas is basically another mother. You’d like it with us.” 

// 

“So,” Dean says. “That extension on the house. The one you and I are supposedly doing. How is that going?” 

“Oh, it’s done. There’s a hallway between the library and our room that leads to two more more rooms.” Cas gives him a wicked grin. “But guess what?” 

“Oh, no.”

“I told Bobby you’d organize the library, ‘cause I did the extension.” 

Dean groans. “You’re an angel!” 

“Oh, and I extended the library,” Cas says. “Now you have more space for the books. Have fun, Dean.” 

“Fuck you.” 

Cas flies away, laughing. He lands in Georgie’s room, remaining invisible when he sees Georgie’s father in there, lecturing his son about the sin of homosexuality. 

_Cas,_ Georgie prays, not knowing he’s already in the room. _Cas, please. I, uh, it’d be great to have you here. I’m really sorry. Like, uh…please?_

Cas appears outside the door and knocks. Mrs. Bauman opens it, frowning, but she smiles when she sees Cas. She lets him in and takes him to Georgie’s room, like he hasn’t been here many, many times. He knocks and then opens the door.

“Oh, hello, Cas,” Mr. Bauman says, smiling brightly at him. 

Georgie wipes at his eyes. “You can go now, Dad.” 

“No, I can’t, son. We’re not done here.” He claps Cas on the back. “You’re a reasonable boy, right, Cas?” 

“Um, I -” 

“Good! So then you know the dangers of being gay, right?” He nearly grins at Cas. 

“Sir, I -” 

“Dad! You’re making him uncomfortable,” Georgie says. “Cas’ family doesn’t share your views.” 

Cas gives him a guilty smile. “My family does not believe God condemns anyone for their sexuality,” he says. 

“Well, even if Cas doesn’t agree with me, it doesn’t matter because you’re normal, right, Georgie?” Mr. Bauman looks at Georgie, eyes nearly begging him to say yes. “Right?” 

“Dad, I don’t need this today, not after one of my best friends was put in the hospital by his own family,” Georgie says. “Please, Dad, don’t.” 

“Answer me, Georgie.” 

Cas gives Georgie a smile, trying to encourage him. Georgie looks his father straight in the eyes and says, “No.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I’m bisexual. I like girls and boys.” Georgie swallows. 

“Well, I don’t see why you can’t be straight if you like girls,” his father says. 

Georgie swallows. “I’m not straight, Dad, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” 

“And how do you know that? Have you had sex with a guy?” 

Georgie looks down. “Yes.” 

“With who?” Mr. Bauman glares at Georgie. “I won’t ask again, boy, before I take my belt off.” 

“Cas.” 

“Yeah, I know Cas is here. I meant who did you - oh.” He turns around. “My son slept with _you_?” 

Cas does not back up, despite Mr. Bauman advancing on him. “Sort of,” Cas says. 

“‘Sort of?’ What do you mean, ‘sort of?’” Mr. Bauman is very close to him now. 

“Neither of us has penetrated the other,” Cas says. “So if your definition of ‘slept with’ has to do with penetrations, I have not had sex with your son.” He blinks up at the man. 

“Cas,” Georgie says, and it’s an apology. “Cas,” he says again, and this time it’s a warning. 

“His weapon cannot hurt me,” Cas says, taking the pocket knife from Mr. Bauman’s hand calmly. “Besides, he desired only to frighten me.” 

Mr. Bauman begins to shake. “Now listen here, Castiel. I never want to see you around my son again.” 

“Alright.” 

“Cas -” and it’s a plea. 

Cas pushes Mr. Bauman back, just a little. “But know that I will see him, even if it’s not around you. This will not stop us.” 

Mr. Bauman nearly growls. 

Cas turns on his heel and walks out of the house, flying back to the Singers’ house once he’s out of view. 

// 

“You both did good work here,” Bobby says over dinner. “Cas, the extension looks great, and Dean, the library is looking both incredibly disorganized and on the way to being incredibly organized.” 

Dean ducks his head. “I didn’t finish it. I got tired.” 

“It’s okay, Dean.” He ruffles his hair. “What did you two do today, boys?” he asks Sam and Adam. 

“Dad had us help him melt down silver from the thrift store into bullets,” Sam says. 

Karen glares at John. “You had Adam help with that?” 

“Well, he kind of just stood around while we did it,” John says. “But hey, they’re both alright. How is your friend feeling, Dean?” 

“He’ll get better.” Dean turns to Karen. “Is Shawn moving in?” 

She nods. “They plan on releasing him Monday morning, so Bobby and I will have to be the ones to move him in. When you and Cas are done with practice, y’all can come home and be with him. No other plans, okay?”

“Yeah,” Dean says. 

“How long will he be on bedrest?” Cas asks. “Also, when are we going to tell him this is a hunting family and I’m an angel?” 

John coughs. “I don’t think we should.” 

“We talk too much about hunting, and Cas is too odd for him not to notice things,” Dean says. “I think you should have done it before he agreed to move in.” 

“Well, we should tell him as soon as possible,” Bobby says. “I’m sorry, boys. I forgot about that.” 

“How?” Cas asks, a chuckle at the edge of his voice. 

“Sometimes you seem so damn human, Cas, like when you and Dean are doing your - thing.” Bobby rubs his temples. “Any other news?”

“I got an A on my book report,” Sam offers. 

Every person at the table except Adam offers him a high-five, and then Adam does, too, even though he doesn’t know the significance. br > br>  
“What was it on, Sam?” Cas hasn’t eaten with the family - even if he’s sat with them - since Karen confessed they were having monetary problems, so his place has no plate. 

“This book where a boy dies ‘cause he got stung by a bee when he was picking blackberries with his best friend and the best friend is real sad,” Sam says, taking a huge bite of chicken. 

“Really sad, Sam, not real sad,” Cas corrects, smiling at the fifth grader. 

Sam huffs and goes back to his dinner. 

// 

Immediately after practice, even before they’ve showered, Cas takes Dean home, fingers gripping his shoulder for a few extra seconds. 

Then they walk in the house and drop their bags off in their room before making their way to the new rooms. Shawn lays on a bed in one of them, propped up on a few pillows and not looking great for the wear. 

“Hey,” Dean says, poking his head in. Cas appears just below him. 

“Hey,” Shawn says. “How was school? I miss much?” 

They shake their heads and make their way in, standing in the way they often do, next to each other and with eerily similar blank looks on their faces. Dean gets his from Cas, so it sort of makes sense. 

Sam races in, tackling Cas from behind. The angel catches him easily and hugs him. “How was school, Sam?” 

“Dunno. Is this Shawn?” 

“Didn’t you meet him when you got home, Sammy?” Dean asks, ruffling Sam’s hair. 

“Karen said I hadda let him rest,” Sam says. “And don’t call me Sammy, jerk.” 

Dean grins. “Bitch.” Then he ruffles his hair again. “Samantha.” 

Cas rolls his eyes. “Sam, are John and Bobby and Karen home?” 

“Yeah,” Sam says.

“Go get them, please, and then watch Adam.” Cas pats his back. 

Sam huffs. “I’m not a baby! I know what you’re going to tell him.” 

“But Adam doesn’t, and you have to protect your little brother,” Cas points out. 

“Go, Sam,” Dean says. “We’ll tell you when you can come hang out with Shawn.” 

Sam nearly growls and stomps out of the room, fists clenched. 

“Wow,” Shawn says. “Must be some big news if you’re willing to make the kid that mad.” 

“He’s a child,” Cas says. “He needn’t be involved in such things.” 

“What, are you gonna tell me you run a mafia?” Shawn jokes, but there’s a hint of fear in the air. 

Dean rolls his eyes. “There aren’t enough Winchesters and Singers for there to be a mafia,” he says. 

Bobby comes in, followed by Karen and John. “What’s all this about a mafia?” 

“Nothing. A joke. We’re just getting around to telling Shawn.” Dean crosses his arms and almost everyone else in the room follows. “We hunt things, Shawn. Things that aren’t human.”

“I would hope you’re not hunting humans,” Shawn says. 

“No, I mean…” 

“We hunt the evil supernatural creatures that crawl over this earth,” Cas supplies. “He doesn’t hunt my kind, not unless we wrong humanity. Plus, killing us is…difficult.” 

“Your kind? And what would that be?” Shawn chews on his lip. 

“I am an angel of the Lord,” Cas says. “I can prove it, if you do not believe me.” 

Shawn starts to laugh. “Georgie’s dating an angel…didn’t see that coming.” 

“You don’t have anything else to say?” Dean says, frowning. 

“No. My family is hunters, Dean,” he says. “Haven’t you heard of the McIntyres? I have a pretty big hunting family.” 

“I never made the connection,” Dean says. 

Meanwhile, John has his eyes fixed on Shawn. “I want to speak with your family,” he says. 

“What about?” Shawn asks. 

“Hunting! They have…insane amounts of old knowledge. More than I have from Mary,” John says, eyes alight. 

“And I believe I have greater information than they,” Cas says. “John, I know every piece of information that exists.” 

John rolls his eyes. “Yeah, but you’re…” 

“Not human? An angel? ‘Queer?’ Yeah, I know.” Cas snorts and looks back to Shawn. “Anyway, we thought we owed it to you to tell you.” 

He nods slowly. “How do you find time for hunts around school?” 

“We go on the weekends. Cas takes me back after we’ve killed whatever we were hunting and then I do work while Dad and Bobby drive back.” Dean scratches his head. “What did we hunt last time, Dad?” 

“Spidrens, I think,” John says. “But that was nearly two weeks ago.” 

“It was spidrens,” Cas says. “Dean got bitten on the butt and was a big baby about it.” 

Everyone laughs, even Dean. “Was not,” he says. “That hurt like a bitch.” 

“Mhm,” Cas says, smiling and punching him lightly. 

Shawn laughs. “Can I hunt with you?” 

“Of course,” Dean says. “We can start taking Dad’s truck instead of the Impala.” 

Shawn smiles. “Thanks, you guys.” 


	12. Chapter 12

“Cas, did you pack lunches or should I?” Karen says. “SAM, GET DOWN HERE FOR BREAKFAST!”  
  
“I packed them,” Cas says, handing Adam a fork. Then he puts one beside Dean and Shawn, who smiles at him in thanks.  
  
“Caf,” Dean says, mouth full of food. “Aren’f you goin’ ‘a eat?”  
  
“Dean, I require no sustenance,” Cas says, handing Sam a plate of food. “Hurry. We must leave in ten minutes.”  
  
“Is it always this crazy in the mornings?” Shawn asks.  
  
“Yes,” Cas and Dean say in unison.  
  
When he finally gets all three boys out the door, Cas grabs them all and flies them as close to the school as they can get, and then they speed-walk into the building. Sam speeds off towards the elementary school, and Cas and Dean help Shawn to his homeroom, both aware they’ll be late. Shawn is wincing as they let him down, even with Cas numbing some of the pain. They ruffle his hair and walk to their own homeroom, explaining quietly why they’re late. The teacher nods and lets them speak quietly to each other as he talks about some assembly coming up.  
  
“Is he really okay enough to be in school?” Dean murmurs.  
  
“I healed him so he is,” Cas admits. “But he’s still hurt.”  
  
“And his brother? Will he do anything?”  
  
Cas shakes his head. “He’s not here today.”  
  
“Why not?”  
  
“I don’t know,” Cas says, almost indignant. “I cannot read their minds from here.”  
  
Dean laughs lightly. “When will he be ready to spar? I’d like a partner that’s fair.”  
  
“You mean one who can’t beat you up in a matter of seconds,” Cas says, biting at a hangnail.  
  
“Yeah,” Dean admits. “I do.”  
  
Cas chuckles. “He has his last checkup in a week, and after that I can heal him completely.”  
  
Dean nods. “How much longer till math?”  
  
“Just a bit.”  
  
//  
  
Shawn winces as Cas and Dean nearly carry him home from school. He’s mobile, technically, but the hard day of school made him tired. Coach let them off practice today, muttering something about running after they got Shawn home.  
  
“‘m fine,” Shawn says as Dean and Cas set him in his bed.  
  
Dean snorts. “Like hell you are.”  
  
Shawn grumbles and sighs as Cas takes some of his pain.  
  
“Why don’t you just heal him now?”  
  
“It will be suspicious,” Cas says. “I take his pain. I numb him. But I can never heal him like I healed you, Dean.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“He is not my responsibility. You are.”  
  
Shawn watches them. “Your family is fucked up.”  
  
Cas laughs. “This is true.”  
  
Dean pats Cas’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”  
  
Cas nods to Shawn as the two leave. They each strip off their shirts, and Cas goes to fetch Sam while Dean gets the bag full of various weapons.  
  
The three of them train together when Cas and Dean don’t have other things to do. Sam is getting good. Soon, he will be nearly as good as Dean.  
  
Dean and Sam are sparring when Shawn limps out, settling into the porch swing. Cas nods and offers tips to the two, who are currently using rods to hit each other crudely. John likes this exercise best, because he says they never know what they’ll be fighting with, and a stick-like object will usually be available.  
  
“ _Ow_ , Dean,” Sam complains when Dean gets a smack in on the ribs.  
  
“Shoulda covered, bitch,” Dean says, blocking Sam’s answering strike.  
  
“Jerk,” Sam mutters.  
  
“Cas, when can we spar?” Dean asks, twisting Sam’s rod out of his hand and holding the rod to Sam’s neck.  
  
“Now, I suppose,” Cas says, taking both rods and putting them aside. Sam steps away to watch, dark eyes gleaming as he takes in the angel’s movements.  
  
Cas always matches Dean’s moves, fighting only slightly better than Dean, until Dean gets annoyed and demands he fights for real. Then he takes Dean down in one hit.  
  
“You’d never guess Cas was that good of a fighter,” Shawn calls from the porch.  
  
Dean and Sam’s heads snap towards him. They didn’t realize he was there.  
  
Cas chuckles. “Jimmy is scrawny,” he admits, “but not even that can override the strength, knowledge, and prowess of an angel soldier.” Then he helps Shawn stand up and takes him to his room. “You should rest.”  
  
Shawn huffs. “All anyone wants me to do is rest. I don’t need rest - well, I do - but what I do need is something to do.”  
  
“Then get better, so you can help Dean and Sam and Bobby,” Cas says. “Rest, and train with us. Read over our journals, our bestiaries, our books, and add your own notes to them. Your family is important, old. Hunters like your family have so much practical information.”  
  
“But you told John you already know everything,” Shawn protests.  
  
“John won’t listen to me,” Cas admits.  
  
Shawn gives him a sympathetic smile. “Hand me my backpack, then?”  
  
“Yeah,” Cas says. “By the way, is there anything you would like from your old house?”  
  
“I dunno.”  
  
“Shawn, I would be in and out without them ever knowing I was there.” Cas’s voice is gentle, pleading, almost.  
  
“No, you wouldn’t. They have barriers set up against every creature there is. You couldn’t even step onto the porch without triggering something.” Shawn huffs.  
  
“What about your brother? I can make him invite me inside as a friend, collect your things, and leave.”  
  
“That’d work,” Shawn says, almost grudgingly.  
  
Cas nods. “Alright. I’ll have your things back here by tonight.” He ruffles Shawn’s hair and then goes to Dean’s room.  
  
“Cas, I’m bored,” Dean says.  
  
“Well, you _do_ have to do your homework,” Cas points out.  
  
“No, that’s not what I mean, and you know it.”  
  
Cas huffs. “Dean, we can’t go on a hunt just because you’re bored.”  
  
“Why not? And besides, I’m not just bored like that. I’m just - Cas, I’ve lived on the run for so long. This - staying in one place, it’s…”  
  
“I understand, Dean.” Cas puts a hand on the junction between his neck and his shoulder. “You will never go to college if you go on the path John would like you on.”  
  
Dean bites his lip and turns back to his lip. “It’s not fair.”  
  
“No, it’s not.”  
  
//  
  
“It’s beautiful in the spring, too,” Cas says softly.  
  
“How’d you know I was here?” Georgie asks, kissing his cheek as he slips an arm around the angel.  
  
“I’m an angel.”  
  
“Of course.” Georgie is silent as the two look out over the water. “I can’t tell what you’re feeling.”  
  
“Few can.” Cas watches his father’s creations roam. Since the two of them are still, he can see squirrels, mice, chipmunks, and even a deer.  
  
“Dean can.”  
  
“Sometimes. But even when he can, he can’t… Sam likes to say Dean is emotionally constipated.” Cas offers a few pieces of grass to the curious fawn who approaches them, setting a blessing on its head.  
  
“But you’re an angel, and you always know everything, and I don’t know anything,” Georgie says, frowning.  
  
The fawn starts to edge away, but Cas offers it more grass and some Grace and it returns. “I’m sorry.”  
  
“That doesn’t make anything better, Cas. I don’t even know what you’re feeling right now. If you’re mad at me, or if you want me to leave, or -”  
  
“I’m not. I’m just trying to enjoy nature,” Cas says. “I’m in an entirely peaceful mood.”  
  
“Cas -”  
  
“Don’t cry over me, Georgie. I’m not worth it.” Cas’s hands tighten around the grass, and the fawn tugs, making a sound of discontent until Cas offers more.  
  
“Yes, you are,” Georgie says, sliding his nose along Cas’s jaw. “To me, you’re worth almost anything.”  
  
“Georgie…”  
  
“It’s alright, Cas. You don’t have to say anything.” Georgie kisses Cas. “I may be human, but I’m not stupid.”  
  
Cas licks his lips and cuddles into Georgie. “When?” he asks. The fawn noses at Cas’s hands, and he offers more grass. Now he’s drawing from Heaven’s grasses.  
  
“When what?”  
  
“When did you notice me?”  
  
Georgie smiles, and it’s an “I’m fucked” smile. “The first time you and Dean stepped onto the ice.”  
  
Cas nods slowly, watching the fawn eat the grass now.  
  
“What? You’re not going to say anything else?”  
  
Cas looks at Georgie, startled. The fawn scampers away, and Cas looks after it, frowning. “I was not planning on it,” he says.  
  
Georgie sighs. “Cas, you can’t ask me something like that and not say anything in response.”  
  
“Oh. My apologies, then. I did not intend to upset you.”  
  
“Cas,” he says, voice almost a whine.  
  
“Oh. Yes. I suppose you would like me to tell you when I noticed you?”  
  
“Yes…”  
  
Cas reaches out and traces a line along his jaw. “I don’t know.”  
  
“But…”  
  
“Distinguishing between lust, affection, and like was difficult before I began to develop emotions,” Cas says.  
  
Georgie sighs heavily and kisses Cas’s temple. “Hey, what time is it?”  
  
“Five.”  
  
“Oh, shit, I’ve got to get going,” he says, standing up.  
  
“Okay,” Cas says slowly. “Did you drive here?”  
  
He nods. “Car’s in your driveway.”  
  
“I’ll walk you there, I guess. If that’s alright.” Cas chews on his lip.  
  
Georgie chuckles and kisses him, drawing his lip into his mouth. “Cas, you don’t need to walk on eggshells.”  
  
Cas frowns and looks at the ground as they walk. “Okay.”  
  
Georgie takes his hand. Cas doesn’t meet his eyes as the two walk up to Bobby’s house on the narrow but well-worn path. Cas walks down through the woods a lot, sometimes with Dean, sometimes without.  
  
When they get to his car, Georgie kisses his cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow in school, yeah?”  
  
“Uh, no, sorry,” Cas says. “Karen’s calling us in sick so we can go hunting for the weekend. It’s a nine-hour drive. We leave in about an hour. It’s Shawn’s first hunt since…”  
  
“Why didn’t you tell me?”  
  
“I just did,” Cas says, blinking.  
  
“How long have you known that you were leaving?”  
  
Cas shrugs. “Few days? Anyway, it’s not a crazy hunt. Nest of vampires. Sort of. Low danger. If we can make a truce, we will.”  
  
“And did you say Shawn is going hunting?”  
  
Cas stares at him. “Well, yeah. He’s a hunter, too.”  
  
Georgie sighs and rubs his temples. “Jesus Christ, Cas. You don’t fucking understand anything for a fucking mind-reading angel.”  
  
“I’m trying, Georgie. It’s not like this comes easy to me.” Cas frowns. “Everything I’m doing it against my nature. I’m supposed to be a silent observer, not a participant.”  
  
Georgie sighs and grabs Cas roughly, dragging their mouths together. “I’ll see you on Monday.”  
  
Cas sighs and goes into the house. Dean holds up a hand and opens his mouth. “Don’t, Dean.”  
  
“I was just going to ask if you’d like me to pack your bag,” Dean says.  
  
“No, I can do ours,” Cas says, rubbing his eyes.  
  
Dean stands and hugs him. “It’s okay, Cas.”  
  
“You don’t even know what happened.”  
  
Dean smiles against his shoulder. “I don’t need to. I can see you’re upset, Cas.”  
  
//  
  
“What are we hunting?” Shawn asks, pulling out his chemistry textbook.  
  
“Nachzehrers,” John says, grimacing. “A pack’s been building in Virden, Illinois.”  
  
Shawn’s head bangs against the headrest. “Ugh, that’s such a long drive.”  
  
“Hope you boys brought work,” John says.  
  
“We’ll take a rest stop about halfway in,” Bobby says. “Shawn, have you ever hunted nachzehrers?”  
  
Shawn shakes his head. “No, but my brother did a few years back - the year before I started hunting.”  
  
“And?”  
  
Shawn shrugs. “I’m sorry, I don’t know much about it. Tim only said something about them being able to heal if their heads aren’t chopped off with a coin in their mouth.”  
  
“Damnit,” John says. “Nothing else?”  
  
“Sorry,” Shawn repeats.  
  
“You must -”  
  
“Not from you, angel boy,” John says, opening the window and spitting out something.  
  
“Oh, come on, Dad,” Dean says. “He knows what you want to know.”  
  
“How do you know that?” John winds the window back up. “You don’t. He could be lying.”  
  
“Dad, he’s done nothing but help us since -”  
  
“He’s done nothing but help _you_ ,” John correct quietly. “And if he thought getting me or Bobby or, hell, Adam out of the way would help you, he’d do it.”  
  
Cas chews on his lip. “Adam is under my protection as well,” he says, “and Bobby and Karen have done nothing but help Dean. I would not hurt them.”  
  
“And me?”  
  
“Not unless Dean wants me to.” Cas considers. “And it’s not like I’d let you die if it wasn’t your time to die.”  
  
“Oh, _now_ I feel all warm and fuzzy,” John says, rolling his eyes.  
  
“Please, this is going to be a nine hour trip,” Bobby says.  
  
Cas closes his mouth. Dean’s arm sneaks around him and rubs up and down his side comfortingly. Then he says, “Cas, what can you tell us about nachzehrers?”  
  
Cas smiles at Dean and goes into a long explanation of the nachzehrer, smiling to himself as John’s grip tightens on the wheel until his fingers are white.  
  
“Cas,” Dean says when he thinks John’s had enough.  
  
Cas shuts up and pulls out homework. “Now that I’ve stopped, you can work on your math homework.”  
  
Dean groans and takes the papers from Cas. “You must hate me.”  
  
“No, but perhaps Ms. Bailey does,” Cas says smirking.  
  
“Oh, shut it,” Dean grumbles, but the hand around Cas’s waist remains there.  
  
Cas smiles and begins his own work, glad for Dean’s arm.  
  
//  
  
“Um. Dean. Cas. You, um, Shawn has been crying in his room since he got home from school,” Bobby says, shifting. “You should. Um. Comfort him. Or something.”  
  
They exchange glances and walk to Shawn’s room. Shawn is, indeed, sobbing on the bed. Dean gestures at his head, and Cas says no. He sits on the bed, making Shawn look up.  
  
“Shawn?”  
  
He wipes at his eyes and gulps down air. “I’m fine.”  
  
“Uh huh,” Dean says, also sitting on the bed. “Yeah, _that’s_ why Bobby told us you’d been crying since you got home from school.”  
  
“Dean!” Cas whacks him. “What’s wrong?” he says to Shawn.  
  
“Mikey is graduating soon, going to college.”  
  
“Oh.” Cas swallows. “We’re sorry, Shawn.”  
  
“You’re terrible at this, Cas,” Dean says. “Where’s he going to college?”  
  
“Wisconsin.”  
  
“That’s not so far,” Dean says. “I’m sure you can visit.”  
  
“You don’t believe that, Dean,” Shawn says. “I know you don’t. And you have the people you love and that love you with you the entire time.”  
  
Dean is quiet for a moment. “It was never going to be forever,” he finally says.  
  
Shawn wipes at his eyes. “Yeah, I know, Dean, but sometimes you just want to pretend, you know? Pretend that hunting won’t fuck your life over.”  
  
Dean chews on his lip. “It’s too late for me, Shawn, but you might be able to get out still.”  
  
Shawn laughs. “Get out? Someone raised a hunter? You’ll never be able to stop seeing the things that follow you. You’ll never want to stop hurting them.”  
  
Dean squeezes his eyes shut and opens his mouth as if to say something. Then he closes it and leaves.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a little short.

Dean, Cas, and Shawn sit on the back porch, orange popsicles dripping onto their arms and swim trunks. The sun filters in in streaks of gold and yellow, and Sam and one of his nerd friends run around in a sprinkler, yelling at each other.  
  
Adam is strewn across Cas’s lap, snoring lightly. Cas holds his popsicle far enough from his face that it doesn’t drip on the toddler.  
  
“This is nice,” Shawn says. “I wish it was always like this.”  
  
Dean shrugs. “It could be. B’sides, this is pretty nice right after a hunt ‘n everything.”  
  
“Yeah, but your dad’s bleeding on the couch while Karen tries to stitch him up because he won’t go to a hospital and Cas won’t heal him,” Shawn points out, licking a stripe up the popsicle.  
  
Dean laughs and takes a bite off the tip of his popsicle. “Dad’s a stubborn bastard.”  
  
“So’s Cas,” Shawn says.  
  
Cas shrugs. Then he take a bite of his popsicle as well. “I know what I will do.”  
  
“DEAN! CAS! COME PLAY!” Sam yells. He looks nervously at Shawn and then turns away, ignoring the older teen.  
  
“Will he ever be comfortable with me?”  
  
Dean shrugs. “Who knows? He’s a kid.” He stands up, setting his bare popsicle stick on the porch. “A few more runs through the sprinkler couldn’t hurt, yeah?”  
  
Cas finishes his popsicle and gets rid of the two sticks. Then he stands. “I’m going to go put Adam to bed.”  
  
“Yeah, ‘course,” Dean says. “Come out after, yeah?”  
  
“Yes.” Cas throws the sticks away and walks Adam up the stairs. It’s only seven, but they’d gone on a hike earlier, and Karen had mentioned that Adam hadn’t slept well while they were gone. Cas puts Adam into his toddler bed and gives him enough Grace to sleep until morn.  
  
Cas looks at John fighting not to writhe in pain as Karen tries to stitch up a cut on his side. “I can do it, Karen,” he says. “Go do something else.” He takes the needle and sterilizes it. “I’ll numb you before I start stitching,” he says, running a hand over the wound.  
  
John goes slightly less pale. “Didn’t know you cared.”  
  
“I don’t, but I cannot let so much pain happen under my radar with humans related to mine.” Cas sticks the needle into John’s skin and stitches.  
  
“She hasn’t stitched my leg yet,” John says. “Shit, could you numb my other injuries?”  
  
Cas does as the injured man requests and numbs him as he stitches. “These scars won’t heal well,” he says. “I could pull up angel knowledge and stitch them right, or I could do it with Jimmy’s knowledge, which is just basic sewing.”  
  
John hesitates. “Go ahead, do the supernatural bullshit.”  
  
Cas smiles and does just that, also changing the stitching Karen did to the same type he’s now doing. When he’s done with the side wound, he moves on to the leg wound. “You know, you’re going to have to stay in bed for at least a week with this many wounds,” he says. “But Bobby and I could take Dean, Shawn, and Sam hunting.”  
  
John shifts. “I don’t know how I feel about that.”  
  
“Dean and Shawn have been hunting, or preparing for hunting, since they were children. Bobby is a responsible adult. I’m an angel of the lord. And Sam needs to hunt, to learn to become what he must.”  
  
John sighs. Cas ties off the last knot and waits for a response.  
  
“If you’re taking my boys anywhere, we’ll have gone over the hunt and your strategy in advance.”  
  
“That’s fair,” Cas says. “I have a few hunts planned, actually. Angel radio, as Dean calls it, has been going crazy with demon sightings in a few towns in Montana. I thought we could drive there, deal with them, and drive back.”  
  
John mulls it over. “Write it up and give it to me later.”  
  
“Why not now?”  
  
John moves and turns very pale. “I think I need to rest now.” Then he faints and Cas leaves him on the couch, going back outside and tackling Dean from behind, sitting on his hips and holding his shoulders down.  
  
“It’s all muddy!” Dean complains as Cas flips him over. Dean’s chest is mud-coated, and Cas chuckles. “Dad okay?”  
  
“Yep,” Cas says. “Fainted on the couch. Should be okay by tomorrow.”  
  
“Did you ask him about hunting?”  
  
“Yes. I told him of the demons, and he was receptive.” Cas sits back a little, letting Dean’s shoulders up.  
  
Dean grins and pushes Cas into the mud, now sitting on him. “Cool. When do you think we’ll be able to leave?”  
  
“We should stay here for a few days and…see people.”  
  
Dean snorts. “Georgie’s parents won’t even let you at his house.”  
  
Cas raises an eyebrow. “Oh, yeah, as if _that_ ’ll stop me.”  
  
Dean chuckles. “Lisa’d be happy to see me, anyway.”  
  
Shawn plops down next to Dean and Cas. “How long’ve you been dating her, dude?”  
  
“Like eight months,” Dean says.  
  
“Dude, that’s crazy long, ‘specially for a freshman,” Shawn says.  
  
“Cas has been dating Georgie for, what, five or six months?”  
  
“Yeah,” Cas says, “but I’m an immortal angel and Georgie’s going to be a senior.”  
  
Dean snorts. “Cas, you’re an immortal angel with walls so high it’s a miracle Georgie thinks he should even try to climb them.”  
  
Shawn shrugs when Cas looks at him. “I hate to say it, but Dean’s not wrong.”  
  
“You guys look comfy,” says Georgie.  
  
Dean doesn’t move from his position on Cas (who’s been pretending he hasn’t noticed Dean putting mud on him). “Yeah,” he says. “Cas and I like to wrestle in the mud.”  
  
Cas flips Dean over, grinning as he rubs mud into Dean’s hair. “You mean you like getting creamed,” he says, rubbing a stripe down his face.  
  
Dean grins, but he nods to Georgie, who’s in a tee shirt and swim trunks. “Give your boyfriend a hug,” he says, slapping more mud on Cas’s chest.  
  
Georgie drops his stuff and sprints, but Cas is faster and tackles him, pressing a mud-covered kiss to the back of his neck. “Sorry.”  
  
//  
  
“When do you guys leave?” Georgie asks, pressing kisses to Cas’s bare stomach. He runs a hand up from the crook of Cas’s knee to his buttocks.  
  
“Two days,” Cas says. “How did you get your family to let you come camping?”  
  
“Told them I was doing a solo,” he says, nipping at the inside of Cas’s thigh.  
  
“Don’t do that,” Cas says, frowning.  
  
“Do what? Lie to my parents?”  
  
“No, kiss and bite my thigh,” Cas says. “You’re not ready yet, and I don’t want to get an erection without you.”  
  
“I don’t know if that’s sweet or weird,” Georgie says. “Anyway, I wish you’d be home more.”  
  
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” Cas says. “You’re lucky we’re here at all. We only came back because John got so injured.”  
  
“Cas, please shut up and let me enjoy that fact that you’re here.” Georgie worms his way back up and pulls Cas into a hug. “Ugh, it’s going to be so hot tonight.”  
  
Cas considers. “Would you like -”  
  
“No, Cas, it’s camping. I don't want you to change anything.”  
  
“- to go swimming in the river?”  
  
Georgie perks up. “Oh, hell, yeah. Anyone around?”  
  
“Not at the moment, but we should probably bring some sort of clothes,” Cas says. “Boxers, at least.”  
  
Georgie shrugs and grabs a pair out of his backpack. “When will Dean and Lisa and Shawn get here?”  
  
“A few hours,” Cas says. “Why?”  
  
“How many more rounds can we get in?”  
  
Cas shrugs and grabs his own pair of boxers and a towel. “Two, maybe three, but it’s not like we can’t have sex when they’re here.”  
  
“It doesn’t weird you out at all to have sex with Dean around?” Georgie starts walking.  
  
“Dean does it all the time around me,” Cas says. “He’s done it in my vision.”  
  
Georgie cringes. “That’s gross.”  
  
Cas shrugs. “Not the end of the world.” They get to the river and set down their stuff.  
  
Cas dives in. “Nice and cold,” he calls.  
  
“How cold?”  
  
“Just get in, you baby,” Cas says, rolling his eyes.  
  
//  
  
“You have a hickey on your nipple,” Dean informs Georgie, grinning.  
  
Georgie scowls at Cas. “Cas!”  
  
Cas grins at him and shrugs. “You left some on me, too. I just healed them.” He turns to Dean. “It took you long enough. We were waiting to make dinner for you.”  
  
Dean rolls his eyes. “How sweet. What are you going to make?”  
  
“Hobo pie,” says Georgie, pulling out the tinfoil.  
  
Dean shrugs. “Alright.” He sets down his pack. Shawn sets his down, too.  
  
“Where’s Lisa?” Cas asks. He starts mixing the hobo pies.  
  
Dean scowls. “She’s not coming.”  
  
“Why not?” Georgie asks, handing Cas a pair of basketball shorts.  
  
Dean coughs, turning away, and Cas hands the ingredients to Georgie, pulling Dean into a hug. “She’s pregnant,” Dean whispers.  
  
“What? How? Dean, haven’t you been using -”  
  
“It’s not mine.”  
  
Cas swallows. “I should check that, Dean.”  
  
“Are you saying I can’t trust her, Cas?” Dean nearly shouts, shoving him away.  
  
“I’m saying she can’t know,” Cas says. “No one can, not with man.”  
  
Dean grits his teeth. “What do I do?” he asks a moment later, going back to deflation.  
  
Cas sighs and sits back onto a pile of moss, one of the ones he and Georgie made a while back. “That’s up to you, Dean.”  
  
“What _could_ I do?”  
  
“How did she tell you?”  
  
Dean frowns and sits. “I mean, she was crying, but what does that have to do with anything?”  
  
“Was she sorry, Dean?”  
  
He nods. “Yeah.”  
  
“Did you break up with her?” Cas chews on his lip.  
  
Dean shakes his head. “I kind of just…left, you know?”  
  
Cas nods. “Don’t break up with her. It’s not…just don’t break up with her.”  
  
“You mean yet.” Dean pulls his knees up to his chest.  
  
“Yeah,” he says. “But for now, come have something to drink.”  
  
“You guys gonna sleep in a tent?” Georgie asks.  
  
Dean catches the coke Cas tosses him. “No space in yours?”  
  
Georgie snorts. “We’ve had sex in there twice, and it barely fits Cas and me, but I guess it’s your choice.”  
  
Dean shrugs. “Cas can clean up.”  
  
“I brought another tent,” Shawn offers.  
  
“I’m sleeping with Cas,” Dean says firmly.  
  
Cas gives Georgie an apologetic shrug. “I’m going to go get more firewood.”  
  
“You don’t have to let him boss you around,” Georgie says.  
  
“I don’t -”  
  
“Shut up, Dean.” Georgie crosses his arms. “Just because you’re tasked with his protection doesn’t make you his servant.”  
  
Shawn heads off once he realizes it’s a serious conversation.  
  
“I’m not Dean’s servant.” Cas frowns, looking on Georgie with hurt.  
  
“See, look -”  
  
“You act like it, and so does he,” Georgie says. “Always doing what he wants, coming when he needs you, acting like he’s your number one -”  
  
“Dean is my family,” Cas says. “I love him. He’s -”  
  
“You let him order you around.”  
  
“That’s not how it is,” Cas says. “It’s not. I order Dean around more than anyone else. I do what he asks because I understand him like no one else does.”  
  
“Georgie,” Dean says softly. “Come take a walk. Not you, Cas. Stay here with the food. Shawn’ll be back soon.”  
  
“Dean?”  
  
“Yeah?” Dean asks, walking backwards for a moment, and Cas is suddenly there, touching his hand and reminding him not to leave bruises in any visible places.  
  
//  
  
“Aren’t you going to ask what happened?” Georgie asks, sitting back onto one of the moss piles.  
  
Cas kneels next to him with a bowl of water and a rag. “I know what happened.” He goes to work wiping the blood away. Dean took a couple of cracks at Georgie’s face, but only once the two started really fighting - Dean has plenty of bruises, including a split lip.  
  
“Are you going to heal us?”  
  
Cas shakes his head. “You two were stupid enough to fight.”  
  
Georgie hisses when Cas brushes over a cut. “Don’t you want to know what he said about you?”  
  
“No, I know that, too.” Cas rubs at a thick spot of blood on his neck.  
  
“You fucking emotional cripple,” Georgie spits, but he’s crying, and Cas knows he doesn’t mean it. “This is what you do when you feel any emotion that scares you. You go all angel -”  
  
Cas snaps his fingers to finish cleaning the rest of the blood off of him and then pulls the boy into his arms. “It’s okay, Georgie,” he murmurs, letting the teen cry onto his shoulder. Eventually he falls asleep, and Cas lays him onto the ground, pillow underneath his head.  
  
He picks up the bowl and walks over to Dean, who’s nursing what will probably be a black eye. “Anything I need to know?”  
  
Dean sighs heavily. “He thinks we’re sleeping together, I think.” He wipes at the blood coming from his lip with the back of his hand. Cas slaps it.  
  
“I know,” Cas says. “I’ve already told him we’re not, but he won’t listen.” He wipes blood from Dean’s lip with the damp rag. “Not too bad this time.”  
  
“Yeah, I know. When you fight me, it’s a miracle my face comes out looking anything near normal.” Dean lets his head rest against a tree as Cas pushes his shirt up.  
  
“That’s because I heal you when I’m helping you up,” Cas says, laughing and wiping at Dean’s face again.  
  
Dean laughs. “How do I never notice?”  
  
“You’re just stupid,” Cas says. “Here, give me your shirt and I’ll get the blood out.”  
  
Dean strips it off, and Cas cleans it, handing it back to him.  
  
“Hey, is the food ready?” Shawn shakes his head and droplets of water fly around. “That river’s nice, man.”  
  
Cas nods. “Let me just -” he reaches in and picks the foil-wrapped packages out of the fire, setting them on the ground. “They’ll need a bit of time to cool,” he says.  
  
“You should wake Georgie up,” Dean says.  
  
Cas looks on the sleeping teen. “Things have been hard for him at home since he came out.”  
  
“It’s not your fault.”  
  
Cas chews on his lip. “It feels like it.”  
  
“Just wake him up.” Dean scowls.  
  
“Don’t fight with him anymore,” Cas says, going over and shaking Georgie’s shoulder. “Hey, babe?”  
  
Georgie sits up and rubs his eyes, hissing when he touches the one that’s blackening. “Fuck. What time is it, Cas?”  
  
“Nearly six,” he replies. “How do you feel?”  
  
“Tired.”  
  
Cas chuckles. “I took the food out. It’s cooling, but it should be ready soon.”  
  
Georgie nods and lays back. “Ugh.”  
  
“You’re not even that beat up,” Cas says, amusement in his tone. “You should see Dean after John has us fighting.” He sits Georgie up against a tree.  
  
“I have a question,” Georgie asks. “How come, if you’re an angel and all, you and Dean share a bed? Couldn’t you move into the extra room? Or get another bed?”  
  
Cas shrugs. “We don’t want to. I don’t mind sharing with Dean.”  
  
“Shawn has his own room,” Georgie points out.  
  
“Shawn also has his boyfriend in there every night,” Dean says drily. “Cas and I don’t wanna share with him.”  
  
“Cas has me and you have Lisa,” Georgie says.  
  
Dean rolls his eyes. “Yeah, but it’s not like we haven’t seen - or heard - each other having sex. It doesn’t bother me - us - anymore.”  
  
Georgie laughs and shakes his head. “Alright, whatever.”  
  
“Dinner,” Cas says. “Drinks and fruit in the cooler. Dean, get them out.”  
  
Dean does as he’s told, stripping his shirt back off to put a pack of frozen peas on one of his ribs. “What soda do you want?” he asks Cas.  
  
“Diet coke, please.”  
  
Dean tosses it to him. “Georgie?”  
  
“Fanta.”  
  
“Shawn?”  
  
“Hmm. Do you have beer?” Shawn grins at Dean.  
  
“Yeah, ‘course.” Dean tosses him a can. Then he pulls one out for himself.  
  
“What the fuck, Dean?”  
  
Dean gives Georgie a blank look. “It’s just beer. Winchester family rules say fifteen’s drinking age.”  
  
Georgie stares at him.  
  
“Hunters start their kids young,” Shawn says. “You can’t always go to a hospital when you get hurt, and alcohol numbs the pain. Plus, everyone drinks on hunts. It’s a thing.”  
  
“You guys drink on hunts? Where?”  
  
Dean shrugs. “Not much, and not Sam, but wherever they’ll let us in. Mostly skeezy bars.”  
  
Georgie groans. “You, Cas?”  
  
Cas shrugs. “It’s not like I can get drunk.”  
  
“Oh my God.”  
  
“Honestly, it’s not that big of a deal,” Dean says. “Chill out, Georgie.”  
  
“Oh, shut the fuck up, Dean.”  
  
“Don’t rise to the bait,” Cas says. He crumples the foil that used to be his food. “Anyone up for another round of swimming before s’mores?”  
  
“Hell, yeah,” Dean says, popping up. He throws his foil in the trash bag (strung up in a tree) as well. They chase each other to the river, Dean only stopping when he’s perched on a huge rock.  
  
Cas grins as he shoves Derek off the rock. “I’M KING OF THE ROCK!” he yells, jumping off.  
  
Dean laughs until Cas comes down right on him. “Ow!”  
  
“You’re fine, you baby,” Cas says, doing a somersault and coming up again.  
  
A terrified look crosses Dean’s face. “Baby.”  
  
Cas huffs. “How far along is she?”  
  
Dean shrugs. “I mean, she’s showing - and I thought she’d been gaining weight for a while, so -”  
  
“Oh, Jesus,” Cas says. “I’ll just ask her when I see her.”  
  
Dean flushes. “Sorry.”  
  
Cas rolls his eyes. “It’s not your fault you’re so stupid about kids.”  
  
Dean shrugs.  
  
“COWABUNGA!” Shawn yells, jumping off, and Cas and Dean both pin him to the shallow bottom near them. Cas grins as Georgie jumps in and helps. It’s a pretty great summer so far.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

“May I?” Cas asks, reaching for her hands.  
  
She nods slowly. “You can tell me for sure who the father is?”  
  
“Do you know?” Cas asks, smiling softly.  
  
“I think,” she says. “But I can’t, you know…Dean and I were still having sex then, and…”  
  
“Dean wants to know, too,” he says. “Not that he’ll tell you that. And he’s not going to leave, not unless you really want him to.”  
  
She smiles. “Thank you, Cas.”  
  
“Have you told your parents?” he asks. “I can also tell you how far along, if you don’t already know.”  
  
“Yeah, I told my mom when I first realized,” she says. “And can you tell me exactly?”  
  
He nods. “Alright. The father is…no, it can’t be.”  
  
“Who is it?” she asks, voice rising.  
  
“No, it’s alright, I was just surprised,” he says softly. “It’s Jack Miller. May I ask why you chose a Miller?”  
  
She rubs her temples. “He was just a hookup.”  
  
“Jack Miller’s in juvie,” Cas says. “I guess it’s better him than one of his little brothers.”  
  
“Don’t judge me, Cas,” she says softly.  
  
“No, I meant because the twins have some defects and the other ones are in middle school,” Cas says. “Lisa, all I want is to help.” He pats her shoulder. “Also, it seems you’re about six months along.”  
  
She nods. “All of that seems right. Only one, right?”  
  
“Haven’t you had an ultrasound yet?”  
  
She nods. “Just one, though. I have another one scheduled for next week.”  
  
Cas puts a hand on her shoulder. “What do you want Dean to do?”  
  
She rubs at her eyes. “I don’t know.”  
  
“Did you consider…other options?” Cas hands her a glass of water and some prenatal vitamins.  
  
She shakes her head. “I didn’t realize I was pregnant until I was in my third month and then my mom didn’t want me to.”  
  
He nods slowly. “Well, Dean and I are here if you need anything, okay?”  
  
“Sure. Thanks, Cas.”  
  
//  
  
“Casssieeeee,” Dean yells.  
  
“Yes, Dean?” Cas arches an eyebrow.  
  
“Come drive with me,” Dean says. “I fixed up another car, and Bobby said I can test-drive it.”  
  
Cas holds his gaze. “Alright, I guess.”  
  
Dean grins and grabs his elbow. “Great. If you want, we can swing by -”  
  
“That’s not a good idea,” Cas says. “And Dean, have you written the essay on _Lord of the Flies_ yet?”  
  
Dean swallows. “Um.”  
  
Cass rolls his eyes. “Dean.”  
  
“I’ll write it on the way back from the hunting trip,” Dean says quickly, opening the door to the pickup in front of them.  
  
Cas huffs, but gets in. “Dean, have you even read the book?”  
  
Dean shoves a cassette into the truck. “Most of it.”  
  
“Dean,” Cas repeats, sighing exasperatedly. “There’s only two weeks left of summer vacation and we’ll be hunting for most of it.”  
  
“I’m sure I can get it done,” Dean says, putting the car into drive. “Don’t worry about it.”  
  
“I’m sure,” Cas says drily.  
  
Dean presses play, and the opening bars of “Carry On My Wayward Son” come through the stereo. Dean grins and leans back, steering with one arm and letting the other lean out the window. It’s sunset, and the golden rays light over Dean’s hair just so and -  
  
And Cas turns away before it hurts too much. “You talked to Lisa yet this week?”  
  
Dean nods. “Baby’s due in a few weeks. She’s going to start school late. Her mom’s talked to the school and everything.”  
  
Cas nods slowly. “That’s good.”  
  
“Yeah, it is. I guess. I miss her, though.”  
  
Cas is silent, knowing Dean will continue unpushed.  
  
“Like, she’s changed with the baby. When she wasn’t pregnant, she used to - there were just little things, little touches, little words. Now it’s always about the baby. And, like, I get it, she’s pregnant and all, but… I don’t know, Cas. I’m fifteen. I’m not meant to be a dad now.” Dean stares at the road. “Say something, damnit.”  
  
“You will weather it,” Cas says.  
  
Dean sighs and pulls off into a field. They get out and lay on the hood of the car before Dean says anything in response. “Why won’t you tell me my future?”  
  
“Because then you’ll try to change it. Humans always do.” Cas stares at up at the quickly darkening sky.  
  
Dean laughs and sets his head on Cas’ shoulder. “I’m not most humans, Cas.”  
  
Cas brings a hand up to Dean’s head, scritching through the hair. “I know.” Oh, believe me, I know.  
  
//  
  
“Sam, Dean, truck, now,” John says, grabbing the bag of weapons. “Shawn, Cas, grab the books. Where’s Bobby?”  
  
“Bobby’s getting the salt and stuff,” Sam says, carrying a bag to the truck outside. He throws it in the bed of the truck and goes back for another bag. “Dad, is your bag in the truck?” he yells. He squeezes past Cas.  
  
Shawn and Cas set the bag of books in the bed and move other stuff around to make space for the salt and holy water and stuff that Bobby’s bringing.  
  
“Hey, man,” Dean says, hugging Cas from behind.  
  
“Hello, Dean.” Cas grabs the cooler from the kitchen. “Go get _Lord of the Flies_ ,” he adds. “You’re going to read for the entire car ride if it means I have to temporarily deafen you and render you unable to speak.”  
  
Dean pouts. “Cas.”  
  
“Go.” Cas lugs the cooler outside, setting it beside the bag of salt in the truck bed. Then he pulls the cover of the bed over it, latching everything up and getting in the backseat of the truck. It’s well-established that Dean, Shawn, and Cas sit in the back, Dean and Cas entangled like, well, like lovers, even though they’re not.  
  
“‘Kay, I got it,” Dean says, climbing in next to Cas, who’s between Dean and Shawn. “You don’t need to -”  
  
Cas waves a hand, and Dean’s mute and deaf and glaring at Cas.  
  
After twenty minutes, Bobby says, “What’d you do to him? I’ve never seen Dean so quiet and focused unless he’s hunting.”  
  
Cas looks at the teen. “I deafened him and made it so he can’t speak.”  
  
“Oh. That’s a lot.”  
  
Sammy turns around and peers at Dean. “So…he can’t hear me? I can say anything?”  
  
“You could. I’m not sure I’d recommend it, though.” Cas smiles at Sam.  
  
“Why not?”  
  
“I’m pretty sure he can still read lips,” Cas says. “And I’d feel a little bad.”  
  
Sam laughs and grins. “Do you have any cards, Cas?”  
  
Cas pulls a pack out of his back pocket. “What do you want to play, Sammy?”  
  
“I dunno,” Sam says. “You choose.”  
  
“Go Fish it is then, bud,” Cas says, grinning and dealing cards to Sam and Shawn.  
  
It doesn’t take long for Dean to realize what’s going on and tap on Cas’s shoulder. Cas reaches around and puts a hand on his cheek to tell him to finish his reading and Cas will give him speech and hearing back.  
  
Dean huffs as though this is the worst thing he can imagine.  
  
//  
  
Dean doesn’t finish the book by the time they’re in the town infested with vampires. But when they pull up to the motel and all tumble out, Dean looks at Cas, imploring, and Cas sighs and puts a hand to his cheek.  
  
“Finally, goddamnit.” He glares at Cas. “It’s like sensory deprivation. You’re a fucking cockwipe.”  
  
Cas shrugs. “You read most of _Lord of the Flies_ , though.”  
  
Dean laughs and rubs at his eyes. “Yeah, I guess I did.”  
  
“Back in the car, Winchesters,” John says. “They’ve got parking outside of the rooms. I got us a room with two beds and a pullout.”  
  
Immediately Dean and Shawn turn towards each other and start rock-paper-scissors. Dean crows when he wins.  
  
It’s been established that Cas and Sam can’t play, Cas because he’s an angel, and Sam because he cries when he loses sometimes and that makes all of them grumpy.  
  
“Ugh, we’re on the pullout,” Shawn says to Sam.  
  
“Why do I have to share with Shawn?” Sam asks Dean, pouting. “It’s not fair. It used to just be you and me.”  
  
John parks the car and gets out, going into the room. Cas and Shawn also leave, letting the Winchester boys work out their own stuff.  
  
“Am I that much worse than Dean?” Shawn asks.  
  
“No, but Sam’s been sharing with Dean for most of his life.” Cas sets one of the duffels in the room. Dean and Sam come in, still arguing about who shares with whom. “Dean, if you and Sam would like to share, I would be perfectly fine sharing with Shawn.”  
  
“No!” Dean says at the same time as Sam says, “Yes!”  
  
“No,” Dean repeats, crossing his arms and glaring at his little brother. “You may not have problems with it, Cas, but I do. I can’t sleep without you.”  
  
Cas shrugs apologetically at Sam and ruffles his hair. “Sorry, Sam.”  
  
“You jerk,” Sam says to Dean. “I hate you.”  
  
“Yeah, sure,” Dean says, rolling his eyes.  
  
“Idjits, don’t fight,” Bobby says idly from the table pushed close to the pullout couch Shawn and Sam will share.  
  
“Boys, head to the library and research this town, see if there’s a connection between the vamps and the town,” John says, sitting across from Bobby. “Take the journals.”  
  
Each kid grabs their journal, and Dean hesitates before they leave. “Dad, can we take the truck?”  
  
“Yeah, but have Shawn drive, just in case you get pulled over,” John says, tossing him the keys.  
  
“I look sixteen!”  
  
John raises an eyebrow. “Dean.”  
  
Dean huffs and hands the keys to Shawn. “Where’s the library, anyway?”  
  
“Find it,” John says.  
  
The boys get into the car and drive to the center of town. Shawn drive around for a bit before Cas points to a dull brown-brick building. “That’s the library,” he says.  
  
Shawn parks the truck, and they pile out. Cas puts a hand on Sam’s shoulder and guides him towards the doors. Dean and Shawn follow, discussing hunting. They wait while Sam and Cas walk to the help desk.  
  
“Excuse me,” Cas says politely. “My name is Cas, and this is my brother Sam. We’re doing a school project with our other brothers, and we were wondering where the town records are.”  
  
“Well, what kind of records would you like?” the librarian asks, pushing back from the desk and standing up. “Buildings, births and deaths -”  
  
“Births and deaths, please, ma’am,” Sam interrupts, smiling.  
  
Cas ruffles Sam’s hair and feels Dean come up behind him. “Don’t interrupt people, Sam,” he says.  
  
Sam smiles up at the lady. “I’m sorry, ma’am.”  
  
“Well, aren’t you just adorable?” She ruffles his hair. “I’m not really supposed to bring people back here, but we have some really old records in the back rooms, if you want to come take a look.”  
  
“How old?” Dean asks, slipping a hand into Cas’s shirt to relay his request for a “supernatural creepy-crawly check.”  
  
“All clear,” Cas murmurs.  
  
“Well, Martins Ferry is the oldest town in Ohio,” the librarian says, beaming. “We have records dating back to eighteen hundred here.”  
  
“That’s so cool,” Sam says, apparently already having picked up a few tricks from Dean and John. “Thanks so much, ma’am.”  
  
“Of course.” She opens a room for them. “There are copies of the more recent birth and death records here, too. In fact, this room has all of them, but we have other copies of the more recent ones out for public use, and, well - oh, I must be boring you boys? Well, good luck, and ask me if you have any questions!” She turns and leaves, closing the doors behind her.  
  
Dean blows dust off a book of records. “No one’s been in here in ages.”  
  
“How do we want to do this?” Shawn asks, gesturing around.  
  
Dean taps his chin. “Let’s start with the earliest records, look for the first set of murders. The pattern will most likely occur in at least eighty or ninety year chunks of time - the vampires wouldn’t want the town to suspect them.”  
  
The boys shrug. “I’ll take eighteen hundred,” Sam says, taking the book off a shelf and sitting at the table in the center of the room.  
  
Shawn sighs. “I’ve got eighteen oh one.” He sits in the only other chair at the table.  
  
Cas looks around. The room is in the same style as most of the rest of the library - very municipal and cost-efficient - but it’s dustier and there are wire shelves holding the records.  
  
“I can take eighteen oh two,” Dean says, grabbing the book and looking at Cas expectantly.  
  
“I can take the other eight,” Cas says, removing the books and sitting against the only section of wall-space without something pushed up against it. Dean sits next to him and opens his book.  
  
“How are you planning on getting through all of those?” Dean asks, flipping his notebook open and sticking the pen between his teeth.  
  
“I’m an angel, Dean,” Cas says, doing the same thing, but sticking the pen behind his ear. He scans each page in about a second, writing down odd deaths with one hand while flipping pages with the other. He finishes the first book and sets it aside when Dean is only a few pages into his. The coroners, even if they weren’t yet called that, were very specific in their death reports.  
  
“You guys have anything?” Shawn asks. “I just finished. Mostly kids, almost all of sickness. Only one ‘suspicious’ death. Guy attacked in the woods by a bear.”  
  
“Nothing from eighteen hundred,” Sam says.  
  
“Eighteen oh two is clean so far,” Dean says. “I have a few more pages.”  
  
“In the next eight, I have: caught between his own plow and the ground, and -”  
  
“Just hand me the notebook,” Dean says. “You only found three things?” he adds, frowning.  
Cas shrugs. “Perhaps they were not here so early.”  
  
“Maybe,” Dean says, frowning. “Maybe we just need to keep researching.”  
  
//  
  
“I’m hungry,” Sam says.  
  
Cas holds out his hand to Sam, apple and can of coke in it. “Is this sufficient?”  
  
“Hell, yeah!” Sam says, grabbing them. “Thanks, Cas.”  
  
“ _Language_ ,” Dean says. “Cas, can I have a piece of pie and a beer?”  
  
Cas hands him pie and a root beer. Dean rolls his eyes but cracks the can. “Shawn, would you like anything?”  
  
“A peach, please, and another root beer?”  
  
“Do you want an actual beer?” Cas asks, handing him the peach.  
  
Shawn shrugs. “Sure.”  
  
Cas tosses him one. “Is everyone well enough situated?”  
  
The boys nod and go back to their book, Dean’s head slipping onto Cas’s shoulder as he reads and takes notes. Cas smiles and leans his head against Dean’s.  
  
//  
  
“Good work,” John mutters when they hand him a written report of the pattern, which started in eighteen fifteen and happened about every sixty years - just a few disappearances and a few deaths by wild animal - the vampires were good at hiding their tracks. “I wonder why they’ve gotten less careful.”  
  
“New leadership?” Dean asks.  
  
“Maybe,” John says, poring over the pages. “That interesting. There’s always dead cattle reported near the bodies, but not this time.”  
  
“Huh,” Bobby says.  
  
John takes a swig of beer. “Cartoons are on,” he says, effectively dismissing the boys. They scatter.  
  
//  
  
“Cas!” Dean yells as a vampire snaps at his neck. “Cas, help!”  
  
Cas throws it away from Dean with a flick of a hand. It smacks into the wall and he hears all of its bones shatter. It will take a while to heal.  
  
Dean takes his stake and stabs another vampire. Sam is off to the sidelines, mostly defending himself, with Bobby taking on anything that gets too close to him. Shawn and John are fighting together in the center of the fray. Cas has to admit that they fight well together, almost as well as he and Dean.  
  
Suddenly all the vampires freeze, and the hunters look around, unsure of what's going on.  
  
“Shawn, I believe your family is here,” Cas says. “Would you like me to remove you from the scene?”  
  
He takes a deep breath. “It's fine.”  
  
Sam and Dean come to flank Shawn.  
  
“More hunters?” one vampire growls. Then she turns and runs. John stabs the last one in the heart with a stake just as the first McIntyre hunter arrives.  
  
“I see someone’s taken our hunt,” the hunter remarks, looking around.  
  
“Hello, John,” says the oldest one, hair greying like John. “You have your boys here?”  
  
“Yeah,” John says. “Bobby’s, too.”  
  
“Bobby new on the scene?” he asks, thumbs through his belt loops.  
  
“Yeah,” John says.  
  
“Your older boy a fag?” he asks, not losing the casual stance or friendly tone.  
  
“No, my boys are straight,” John says.  
  
“Then why do you have the fag with you?”  
  
“Shawn is an experienced hunter,” Bobby says evenly.  
  
“Fags can't be hunters,” the hunter snorts.  
  
“My boys won't hunt without Shawn and Cas here,” John says. “So we take them along.”  
  
“How's your oldest for a hunter?”  
  
John looks at Dean, who has his arms crossed over his chest, bloody stake in the other. “Dean fights well with Cas,” he says grudgingly.  
  
The hunter snorts. “Yeah, your son hunts well with a goddamned angel. O’course he does. How does he do without the angel?”  
  
“Dean will become a great hunter,” John says, “but as of now he's young and has a lot to learn.”  
  
The hunter snorts again. “Alright then. Well, if this hunt’s taken care of, we have a poltergeist to attend to.” He turns to leave.  
  
Shawn steps out from behind Dean and Sam. “Dad.”  
  
The hunter pauses but doesn't turn. “I'm not your father, boy.”  
  
“Well, that's what I called you for sixteen years, so I hope you're used to it,” Shawn says. “What I like to stick my dick into doesn't change who I am - who I have been for all of my life. You don't have to like it, but you have to accept that I'm a better hunter than your straight son and you know it. I don't give a shit what you do with Ricky now, how you try to make him better, but just remember he hates hunting with every bone in his straight little body. I was the one that was supposed to take over the clan next and that's what's going to happen as soon as you die, whether you like it or not. I hope you come to terms with your son liking dick.” Shawn punctuates his little speech with a glob of spit at his dad’s boot. “Get over your internalized self-hatred ‘cause every person in our family knows you like dick up your ass more than me.”  
  
The hunter spins around on his heel and bring his hand around to strike Shawn, but Cas blocks him. “You little faggot,” he seethes. “You fucking cocksucker, you think you know everything. Let's see how long you survive with a fucking rifle shoved up your ass.”  
  
“There will be no abuse of Shawn,” Cas says calmly. “If you know what's best, McIntyre, you’ll leave now before I decide it's not worth the effort of stopping my brother Gabriel from smiting you. He's an archangel and I heard being smited by him hurts even more than being smited by a regular angel, but who knows?”  
  
The hunter glares at Cas but turns and stomps out of there. Shawn sags in relief.  
  
“It’s okay,” Sam murmurs, hugging Shawn. “Sometimes dads can be mean.”  
  
John looks choked at that. “Let’s go, boys.”  
  
“What about the last vampire?” Sam asks.  
  
“Leave it,” John growls. “We’ve got to go.”  
  
“It’s gone. I had Gabriel smite it for me,” Cas says simply, hands on Dean and Sam’s backs to usher them out.  
  
“Goddamn angel, making fools out of me and my family,” John mutters, slamming the door to the truck.  
  
“John -”  
  
“Don’t, Cas,” Dean says, voice going into the deep, raspy one he only does when he’s exhausted in one way or another.  
  
Cas nods and gets into the middle of the backseat. Sam and Dean crawl onto either side of him, Shawn sitting in the front. Dean immediately lets his head sag onto Cas’ shoulder, and Sam, after looking at Cas for permission, does the same. The ride back to the motel is silent.  
  
“Dibs on first shower,” Sam says.  
  
“I’m taking the first shower,” John says.  
  
“I called -”  
  
“Sammy,” Dean says, in the same voice he used on Cas.  
  
“What, Dean? Why do you defend him?”  
  
“Sammy, he’s our dad,” Dean says, tone the same as he closes the door to the truck.  
  
“Don’t call me Sammy,” Sam says. “And maybe he should start acting like our dad.”  
  
“I am,” John calls back. “I’m doing my best to do what’s best for you boys.”  
  
“Well Cas and Bobby are doing a whole hell of a lot better!” Sam yells at his father’s retreating figure. “I hate you, John Winchester!” he adds.  
  
“Samm - I mean, Sam, don’t you think that’s a bit much over who gets first shower?” Dean asks, almost weakly.  
  
“It’s not about that, Dean,” Sam mutters, pushing past his brother to get into the room. “And you know it.”  
  
Dean sighs and follows his little brother. “You coming, Cas?”  
  
“I have a garrison meeting, Dean. I will be back within a day or two.” Cas hugs Dean and then disappears.  
  
//  
  
“Sophomore year,” Dean says, looking at the entrance to the school with disdain. “God, I hate school.”  
  
“No, you don’t,” Cas says. “Now come on, you drama queen.”  
  
Dean scowls and follows Cas through the light blue doors. “Whose homeroom are we in?”  
  
“Carell’s,” Cas replies, walking towards the classroom.  
  
“First class?”  
  
“English,” Cas says, smirking.  
  
“ _No_ ,” Dean says.  
  
“Yep,” Cas answers. “Football tryouts after school.”  
  
“Are you going to try out for track?” Dean asks hopefully.  
  
“Why?” Cas sits in the history teacher’s classroom, decorated with maps and magazine pictures of various societies and artifacts.  
  
“Georgie and I made a bet,” Dean says. “If you don’t try out for track, I -”  
  
“I’ll try out for track,” Cas says, amused already. “He’s in our math class again, and - oh.”  
  
“What?” Dean asks, leaning towards Cas in his chair.  
  
“He, um, he’s been held back a year,” Cas says.  
  
“Oh god,” Dean says.  
  
“Yeah,” Cas says slowly. “I didn’t know…”  
  
“Dude, tell Carell you gotta piss or something and go talk to him,” Dean hisses. “Your boyfriend fuckin’ got held back a year.”  
  
“I could put him into the senior class,” Cas says, voice doubt-filled.  
  
“Then do it!”  
  
“What if he can’t keep up with his classmates?” Cas asks.  
  
“Cas, we both know he’s not dumb. He can do it, especially if we help him study.” Dean shoves him out of his seat. “Go. I’ll meet you at English.”  
  
Cas nods, mutters something about a stomachache to Carell, and heads to Georgie’s classroom, dragging him out of it. “Georgie! Why didn’t you tell me you got held back?”  
  
Georgie reddens and looks away. “It’s embarrassing.”  
  
“I can make it not happen,” Cas says quietly. “And Dean and I can help you study. Dean’s great at Latin - he can help with Spanish! We can all three study for math. And I can help with everything else.”  
  
Georgie rubs at his temples. “I can’t ask you to do that, Cas.”  
  
“I can make it so no one, not even you, will know,” Cas says.  
  
“No, I need to know.”  
  
“So I can do it?” Cas asks hopefully. “Georgie, you have to let me -”  
  
“I don’t have to let you do anything,” he snaps, scowling. “Isn’t this cheating?”  
  
“Not if you earn every a and b grade you get,” Cas says, getting ready to plead with the boy.  
  
Georgie frowns. “Alright. Fine. Do it.”  
  
Cas closes his eyes and waves his hand. “Look at your schedule,” he says.  
  
Georgie looks. “It’s been changed. I’m in senior classes.”  
  
“I made everyone forget about it, too, except for you, me, and Dean,” Cas says, aching to hug him rather than stand so far - just in case someone sees. Cas freezes time and pulls Georgie into a kiss by his hair. “Please, do not hesitate to ask me for things, Georgie. It would be difficult for me to refuse you.”  
  
“Well, isn’t that sweet,” Gabriel drawls, clapping.  
  
Cas turns around. “Brother!”  
  
Gabriel claps him on the back. “How are Sam and Dean? It’s been a human while since I’ve checked up on you lot.”  
  
“Oh, Father,” Cas groans, shoving at Gabriel’s shoulder. “Why in hell are you here, Gabe?”  
  
“You’ve grown human,” Gabriel says idly, running a hand over the hair of Cas’s adolescent vessel. “And, you’ve grown, human,” he adds, grinning. “Commas. They make a sentence.”  
  
“Gabriel.”  
  
Gabriel sighs and says in Enochian, “Okay. C’mon, kid. I have something to show you.” He nods to the human watching them. “Goodbye, Georgie.”  
  
//  
  
“Dude, where did you go? You’ve been gone for, like, a week. Dad made us go on a hunt,” Dean says. “And Georgie needs help in math.”  
  
Cas yanks his shirt off and undoes his belt. “I was in heaven.”  
  
“You don’t smell like it,” Dean says, wrinkling his nose. “I can call him, if you want. Why were you in heaven?”  
  
“I know, I’m going to shower now,” Cas says irritably. “And if you call him, tell him he has to be nice and easy.”  
  
“Dude, if you want to have sex with -”  
  
“Dean.”  
  
“Okay, sorry, Cas. Are you going to tell me -”  
  
“No.” Cas slams his fist down onto the top of the dresser. “Leave it alone, Dean.” Even as he showers, scrubbing dirt and blood and Father-knows-what off his body into water tinted rusty, he shakes with an anger he doesn’t usually feel. When he comes back into the room, Dean is sitting at the desk, tense. “What?” He pulls a shirt on, and then boxers and finally a pair of jeans. “ _What_ , Dean?”  
Dean’s voice is tiny when he peeps out, “It’s Sam. He broke his arm on the hunt, and he’s been having to go school with the cast, so you can’t heal him.”  
  
“Did he ingest any demon blood?” Cas asks, grabbing Dean by the collar.  
  
“No! No!”  
  
Cas releases him. “Good.” He looks speculatively at Dean.  
  
“What? I don’t like that look.” Dean waves his hand in front of Cas’ face. “Cas -”  
  
“Hush. And don’t scream, this will hurt.” He wills Dean’s shirt away and sets his hand on Dean’s chest. “A lot.”  
  
“Uh, Cas, I’m not so hot on the whole ‘this will hurt -’ HOLY _HELL_!” Dean’s face twists. “Shit, Cas.” He brings his hand up to rub his chest, and Cas knocks it away.  
  
“There are more,” he says, the Grace to complete the rest of the sigils bubbling up under his skin.  
  
“Oh God,” Dean says, throwing his head back. It hits the wall with a crack.  
  
Cas pours the Grace into Dean, who grits his teeth.  
  
“Well that sounded like sex,” Georgie says, sauntering in.  
  
Cas scowls at him and hands Dean his shirt again.  
  
“I wish it were sex.” Dean scowls at Cas. “Sex would _hurt less_.”  
  
Cas flips him off and flops onto the bed, arms crossed.  
  
“He’s been grumpy since he got back from heaven,” Dean says, rubbing at his chest. “Jesus, Cas, that hurt.”  
  
“I warned you,” the angel mutters. “Hi, Georgie.”  
  
“Dean said you could help with math, but if you’re not feeling well -”  
  
“I feel fine,” Cas says, standing up. “I’m on the verge of _smiting_ something, but I _feel_ fine.”  
  
“And this is why angels shouldn’t have emotions,” Dean mutters.  
  
Cas doesn’t hesitate to drive his fist into Dean’s cheek. “I don’t know why you have a penchant for trying to get beaten up, but I suggest you cease trying to make angels _angrier than they already are_.”  
  
Georgie’s arms come around Cas’s shoulders. “Hey, Cas, please,” he says.  
  
Cas grabs Dean’s shirt and hauls him up. “He’s fine.”  
  
“I can take a punch,” Dean says, defensive.  
  
“Wanna see how many?” Cas asks.  
  
Dean takes a step away from Cas. “Cas.” He reaches out as if to touch Cas’s arm but flinches away when Cas shifts from within Georgie’s arms.  
  
That does it. That flinch, the look of fear…  
  
Cas pulls out of Georgie’s arms and turns away. “I’m sorry, Dean. I, uh, Georgie, I’m sure Dean can help you with your math.”  
  
“Cas, wait -”  
  
“I’m just going to go to - you know,” Cas says to Dean.  
  
“Okay,” Dean says. “It’s - okay, by the way.”  
  
“Thanks.” Cas disappears.  
  
//  
  
“Georgie left around five thirty,” Dean says, threading his hands into Cas’s hair when the angel slips into bed. “I think he got what I was trying to show him.”  
  
“I’m sorry,” Cas mutters. “I was just - I had to fight, in heaven.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Angel stuff,” Cas mumbles into Dean’s shoulder.  
  
“C’mon, tell me,” Dean wheedles.  
  
“Unrest in heaven,” Cas says. “Someone brought hellhounds to one of our fallen brothers’ pieces of heaven. Gabriel wishes for a new system of power in heaven. I think it is a good idea.”  
  
“Who would lead it?” Dean mumbles.  
  
“Gabriel, hopefully,” Cas says.  
  
“I think you’d be good too,” Dean answers.  
  
“If I led heaven, I couldn’t be down here with you and Sam,” Cas says.  
  
“You could bring us to heaven,” Dean says hopefully.  
  
“You have not yet lived your human life,” Cas chastises gently. “I will not end it before you’ve done the important things you two are destined to do.”  
  
Dean hums. “Okay. I still think Gabriel should give you some sort of leadership role, and I’m going to tell him that.”  
  
“And how are you going to do that?” Cas says, nearly asleep.  
  
Dean presses the heart-shaped mark Gabriel left on Cas’ left arm. “Like this.”  
  
“You bastard,” Cas mutters half-heartedly.  
  
“What’s up, little brother?” Gabriel asks, appearing seated on the bed.  
  
“I called you,” Dean says. “To tell you I think that when you take control of heaven you should give Cas some power, ‘cause I think he’d be a good leader.”  
  
Gabriel chuckles. “Thank you, Dean. Go to sleep now. Until later, brother.”  
  
“Goodbye, Gabriel.”

  



	15. Chapter 15

“Dude, we’re so excited! It’s your first race!” Dean bumps Cas’s shoulder with his own. “We’ll all be there. Even Adam. We’ll have signs and everything.”

“That is not necessary, Dean.” Cas hands Adam a bowl of oatmeal.

“You were there at my first football game,” Dean says, eyes not leaving Cas’s as he eats.

“That’s different.”

“We _wanna_ be there, Cas,” Sam says, standing and getting more oatmeal. “We already made the signs.”

Cas ruffles Sam’s hair. “Well, if you already made the signs…”

Dean gives Cas a small smile. “Hey, Adam, how are you liking kindergarten?”

“‘S fine,” Adam says. 

“Already a Winchester,” Cas remarks. “Well, finish up soon, Sam and Adam. We’re leaving for school in five minutes.”

Sam nods and finishes his second bowl, leaving it in the sink and going to get his backpack. “Adam, hurry up, buddy,” he says.

Adam hands Cas his bowl and follows his brother.

Dean watches them go. “I can’t believe it’s been an entire year.”

Cas looks at Dean, a year bigger and a year older. “Yes.”

//

“MIKEY’S COMING HOME!”

Dean and Cas race from their room to Shawn’s. Shawn holds up the phone triumphantly. “He called to ask if I was free next weekend - not this one, Cas, I’ll be there for your meet - because he’s coming back from college.”

Cas hugs him, albeit slightly awkwardly. “That’s great, Shawn.”

Dean fist-bumps him. “ _Dude._ That’s awesome.” He winks. “We’ll keep everyone out of here while he’s over.”

Shawn shrugs. “I mean, I don’t even know if he still, y’know, likes me. I’m still in high school, and he - he’s in college.”

“Dude, you’re a gazillion times more mature than most high schoolers,” Dean says.

Shawn nods. “Alright, well, um, thanks. I’ll see you at the meet, Cas.”

“Speaking of which, I need to get ready to go,” Cas says to Dean. “I was going to ask how much faster I could go than the other boys.” They leave Shawn’s room, Dean tapping his chin.

“I mean, Quint already thinks you hang the sun and stars, and, honestly, you kind of do - no, don’t look at me that way, you’re better than any of the kids at our school - so just keep it feasible that it’s human. Don’t break any state records or anything.” Dean claps him on the shoulder. “But win, Cas. Always win.”

Cas holds his gaze. “You’re going to go to college, right?”

Dean chews on his lip. “If Dad lets me.” He looks up the stairs, where Sam’s room is. “And I don’t want to leave Sammy.”

Cas ruffles his hair. “We can always live here and commute for classes. Or just for the night and stuff.”

Dean hums. “Where would we even go? And we’d play a sport, right? Hockey or baseball?”

“Hockey,” Cas says immediately. “I only play baseball for you, but I _love_ hockey. And we have, like, a year and a half to decide where we wanna apply.”

“But recruitment starts next year,” Dean points out, watching as Cas changes into his track uniform. 

“We’d better win state again, then,” Cas says, grinning up at Dean as he laces his shoes.

Dean nods seriously. “Yes. That’d be helpful. And we’ll play on a line in college.”

“We could try playing as a dee pair,” Cas suggests. 

Dean snorts. “You need to go to your track meet,” he then says, pushing him towards the door. “We’ll be there when it starts.” He puts his hand on Cas’s shoulder. “Good luck, Cas.”

“It feels weird when you do that,” Cas informs him. “You seem more the type to hug or punch me in a friendly manner.”

Dean laughs and hugs him. “Better?”

“I suppose.” And with that, Cas is gone.

//

Cas steps up to the starting line of his lane for his first race, the sixteen hundred meter. “Hello, Dean,” he whispers, grinning when he sees Dean’s head shoot up to look at him.

_Dude, how’re you doing that?_

“I am an angel of the lord,” Cas says, grinning and getting into the starting position.

“GO CAS!” Sam yells. He waves his sign.

Dean grins. “Yeah, Cassie!” he shouts towards Cas. “Here ya go, kiddo.”

Cas glares at him.

“On your mark!”

“Shut up, Dean.”

“Get set!”

_We’ll be cheering when you win._

Cas rolls his eyes and sets up. “Idiot,” he says fondly.

“Go!”

Cas loves to run, he really does. It’s not as fun as hockey, but when his feet hit the track and he has to suck breaths in, it’s pretty great.

He pulls ahead rather quickly, but he still keeps pace with the boy just behind him, not letting him get ahead, but not pulling much further ahead, either. He keeps his run from breaking any records. That could be bad.

He hears his family cheering as he passes them. They do not have these athletic competitions in heaven, but occasionally the angels will organize wrestling matches. The only problem is that the wrestling matches tend to cause hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes down on earth.

On the first lap, Sam hefts the sign and he and Adam scream incoherently.

On the second lap, Shawn, Georgie, and Dean start chanting “Cas. Cas. Cas.”

On the third lap, Dean yells something vaguely sex related and Cas rolls his eyes.

On the fourth lap, he wins (just barely), and his family goes crazy. Cas drops to his knees and then gets back up and walks towards his coach, who claps him on the back and gives him a cup of water. “Your next race is the thirty-two hundred,” he says simply. “Be ready.”

Cas nods and hops the fence separating him from his family. “Hello,” he says simply, ruffling Sam and Adam’s hair. “The sign is great, Sam.”

Sam grins. “Thanks, Cas. You did great!”

Dean grins at him. “Nice job, Cas.”

Cas nods and drains his water. “Thanks.” Glancing at the water, he refills and drains it once more.

“Do you have any more races?” Georgie asks.

“Yeah, the thirty-two hundred,” Cas says. “It’s in about twenty minutes.”

Dean winks at him. “You’re gonna crush it, dude.”

“Novak!”

Cas turns towards Coach Quint. “Yes, coach?”

“Let’s talk. Hop back over before they start the two hundred meter dash.” The coach gestures for Cas to follow him.

Cas ruffles Sam’s hair again and hops the fence, crossing to the green in the center of the track. “What’s up, coach?”

Quint gestures to Sophia. “You and Jack are running the thirty-two hundred. How’re you feeling, Cas?”

Cas nods. “I’m okay. I drank some water. I’ll probably sit and relax until the race.”

Quint nods. “Good, good. You and Jack can sit and chat. You’ll do great, boys.” Then he turns and leaves.

Cas shrugs at Sophia and plops down where they are. “Sorry ‘bout him calling you Jack and everything.”

She shrugs and sits as well. “I’m kinda used to it,” she admits. “But the second I can get out of here, I’m moving to California and transitioning all the way.”

Cas nods at her. “That sounds good.” He meets her eyes directly. “Have you come out to your parents yet?”

She shakes her head slowly. “I probably won’t until just before I leave, honestly.”

Cas nods. “I want to come out.”

“To your parents?”

Cas laughs. “Bobby and Karen aren’t my parents. I don’t have a mother and my father’s kind of absent. My siblings, um, took care of me before they sent me to live with Dean.”

Sophia frowns. “Um. Why Dean, specifically?”

Cas runs a hand through his hair and leans back on his hands. “It’s…really, really complicated. And they sent me to live with Dean and Sam, technically, because, well, our families have known each other forever, and it’s my job to help protect them.”

“Protect them from…what?”

“Anything and everything,” Cas says. 

“But you’re so scrawny,” she says doubtfully.

“I’m a good fighter, and there’s other aspects, too. Dean and I study together and I protect him in school and on the ice and stuff, when I can.”

She nods. “You two don’t seem like a protector and a protect-ed. You seem really close.”

Cas’s eyes flicker up to Dean. “We are.”

She nods for a few seconds. “Well, anyway, if you don’t want to come out to Bobby and Karen, who is it you want to come out to?”

“The school,” Cas says. “Everyone, I guess. But Georgie doesn’t want to.”

“I mean, I understand where he’s coming from,” Sophia says. “Like…it could ruin him, here.”

Cas blinks a few times. Then he hums noncommittally. “Perhaps.”

She shrugs and ties her hair back with a hairtie. “Almost time for our race.”

Cas sighs and stands, offering a hand. “Best of luck to you.”

“Thanks,” she says, walking towards where the runners in the next race are stretching. She and Cas both join in, though, really, Cas has no need to stretch.

Sophia turns to Cas. “I’d offer your luck in return, but I don’t really think you’ll need it.”

Cas laughs. “You can never know how a race will end,” Cas says. He finishes his stretches and stands, brushing his hands off on his running shorts. 

The announcer calls for the people in his race to line up, so Cas and Sophia check their tags before nodding to each other once more and getting ready to go.

The thirty-two hundred is a long race. The average time is about nine minutes. Cas could do it in zero seconds but Dean’s informed him that’s a bad idea.

“On your mark.”

Dean grins and signals, and Cas’s family begins to cheer for him.

“Get set.”

Cas looks forward, even though he kind of likes that he can hear people actually caring about him.

“Go!” The gun fires, and Cas begins to run.

The first three laps of the race go uneventfully, Cas staying second carefully. Sophia’s in fifth of sixteen runners. As the runners are rounding the first corner of the fourth lap, one of the runners stumbles and falls down, making a soft sound of pain as he hits the ground. Cas immediately turns around and sprints back to the boy, who’s running for a school a few towns over.

“Why in hell did you turn around?” the kid asks as Cas helps him up.

“You fell,” Cas says. “Now let’s get going. We don’t want to fall too far behind.” He heals the mild sprain in the kid’s ankle while the kid’s staring at him. “Come on, you idiot.” Cas starts running, going faster than he was before to make up for the fifteen or so seconds of time lost in helping the kid up. The kid begins to run, too, and the two eventually catch up to the pack on the beginning of the fifth lap. 

Cas pulls back to his spot in second fairly easily, and everyone continues on like nothing happened. The kid Cas helped pulls up to be in third, and then second as the kid that was in first slows and Cas and the other kid pull ahead. In the sixth and seventh laps, Cas keeps them neck and neck. He pulls ahead just slightly in the eighth and holds the lead throughout the race, winning over the other kid only by a second. They both have times under nine minutes twenty seconds, though only just.

“Well,” the announcer says over the loudspeaker, “we’ve witnessed something of a miracle today. Runner Lior Goldman fell in the fourth lap, which would normally be something that would end any chance of a win, but runner Castiel Novak of Sioux Falls, at the time in second place, helped him up, and the two ended up taking first and second places, with Castiel winning by one point one seconds. I guess the universe paid them back.” He laughs. “Congratulations, Castiel and Lior.”

Castiel turns to the boy he helped. “Cas.”

“Lio,” the kid says, offering a hand. “Thanks, man, but why would you help me like that? You could have lost your chance at winning.”

Cas shakes his hand. “It was the right thing to do,” he says solemnly. Then Sam tackles him, not knocking him over, but only because Cas was ready for it. “Hey, Sam.”

“Good job!” Sam says enthusiastically. “I can’t believe you did what you did and still won.”

“You held back, too,” Lio says. “Why? You could’ve broken records.”

“I don’t want to,” Cas says. “And Sam, you’re not supposed to be on the track.”

Sam shrugs and hugs him again. “Dean and me and Adam and Shawn and Georgie and Bobby and Karen are really proud,” he informs the angel, releasing him and hopping the fence again.

“Little brother?” Lio follows Cas to the water cooler.

“Yeah, sort of. He lives with my, um, foster dad.”

Lio nods and takes a gulp of the water Cas offers. “Ah. Well, um, I run in the four by four hundred relay after this, but. Um. Thanks. Like a lot.”

Cas nods. “Any time.”

“And any time you’re in Flandreau, come say hi,” he adds, shaking Cas’s hand again.

Coach Quint starts to walk over, so Cas gulps the remainder of his water and tosses the cup into the trashcan. “See you,” he tells Lio. “My coach is heading over.”

Quint doesn’t say anything for a moment when he first gets close enough to Cas to hold a conversation. Then he claps Cas on the shoulder. “What you did was noble. Noble, but it could have ended badly for you.” He hesitates. “Still, kid, I’m proud. Even if you’d lost because of it…I’d still rather you have done this than won.” He raises an eyebrow. “I’m still glad you won.”

“Can I go home with my family?” Cas asks. 

“Go celebrate. You ran well today,” Quint says.

“Thanks, coach,” Cas says, walking away. He crosses the track quickly and hops the fence again. Then he kneels and sets to unlacing his cleats. His family surrounds him, babbling, and they don’t even pause until Cas stands and hushes them.

Then they just gather him into a huge hug. Even when everyone else has let go, Dean still holds on. Cas is the one to pull away, and it’s because someone taps on his shoulder.

He spins to see a woman with a toddler on her hip. “Thank you for helping my son,” she says.

“Of course,” Cas says. “Tell him I say good luck.” Then he picks his shoes up, lets Dean sling an arm over his shoulder, and walks away with his family.

//

Later, as Dean and Cas are about to fall asleep, Dean mutters, “Sometimes, Cas, you’re so human.” Then he throws a leg over Cas’s and falls asleep.

//

As Cas straddles Georgie, he runs a hand through the teen’s hair. “Lisa’s coming back in a week,” Cas says off-handedly, running his hand down Georgie’s chest.

“Can we avoid talking about Lisa while your dick’s pressing into mine?” Georgie requests, sort of breathless.

“We could,” Cas says, grinding his hips down in a particularly vicious way that makes Georgie hiss. “But that wouldn’t be as fun.”

“Oh my god, Cas.”

Cas grins. “I mean, we could stop so we could talk about it, also.”

Georgie glares at him. “Not. Funny.”

Cas shrugs. “I don’t know. I kind of thought it was.”

//

When they’re done, Georgie looks Cas straight in the eyes. “Do you want to talk about Lisa now?”

“No, not really,” Cas says, waving his hand to clean everything up. “Honestly, there’s not much to say. She wants to name the kid Ryan, I think. Ben, maybe? I don’t know, I’ll ask Dean.”

“Who’s going to take care of it?”

“She and her parents. They’re not too happy, but they’ve accepted it.” Cas stands. Georgie’s room is messier than usual, clothes tossed around, desk messy with papers, bed unmade. Cas finds his clothing and pulls it on piece by piece.

“Do you have to go?”

Cas’s mouth tightens into a line. “Yes.”

//

This weekend’s hunt is zombies. Well, sort of. They’re reanimated corpses, but a witch is controlling them. John and Bobby end up hexed by the witch and the teens and Sam have to deal with the corpses and the witch. Cas sends Sam to deal with the witch - he’s immune to her hexes because of the demon blood - and fights the zombies with Dean and Shawn until Sam can defeat the witch. Cas casts protective shields around his charges and no one is hurt besides John and Bobby, who aren’t really hurt, but they’re stuck together by the hip. Literally. And neither is particularly delighted by it.

“Well, Cas, ain’t you going to take us apart?” Bobby asks.

“I cannot.”

“Why? ‘Cause it’s me or ‘cause you don’t have ‘nuff mojo?” John spits on the ground near their feet.

“It is a hex. It will wear off with time, but, for now, I can do nothing.” Cas runs a hand over Sam’s head. “We should get back to the motel.”

“I’ll drive,” Shawn says. “Sam and Cas up with me.” He plucks the keys from John’s pocket and walks out.

Cas doesn’t watch John and Bobby try to figure out how to walk like this.

//

Cas takes Dean over to see Lisa and the baby the day after they get back. The baby is cute enough for a newborn. He’s dressed in in blue onesie and an orange hat.

“I hand-knitted it,” Lisa informs them.

Dean doesn’t say anything, just stares at the newborn with his shock of light brown hair and green eyes.

“He looks like you, Dean,” Lisa says.

Dean snorts and crosses his arms, still looking at the kid.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“What do you want me to say?” Dean asks. “Lisa, I love you, but this kid…”

“He could be yours, Dean.” Lisa gives him a small smile. “You can be his dad, if you want.”

“He’s not mine, Lise,” Dean says, sighing. “And I’m a hunter and a teenager, not a father.”

“Dean…”

“We should go,” Dean says, grabbing Cas by the collar of his jacket and dragging him out of the house.

“Would you like me to offer to talk?”

“Not now, Cas,” Dean says, rubbing his eyes.

//

Cas supposes he should have seen this coming. He could see Dean was upset yesterday - angry, even.

But as he kneels over Dean’s sobbing figure in the woods behind the school, he still finds himself surprised.

Cas supposes John will be pleased that Jack is worse off than Dean. Jack’s friends are helping him up, and Dean composes himself enough to stand. “This is your fault,” he adds as Miller limps away from the small clearing, helped by two of his friends. “You fuckin’ bastard.”

“Violence isn’t always the answer, Dean,” Cas says as he checks Dean’s body over for injuries.

Dean grimaces as Cas finds a particularly nasty bruise. “It’s a path to the answer,” he says.

“Dean.”

“Just…just help me get to class, Cas.” Dean half-groans, half-huffs.

Cas sighs and does just that.

//

“What’s got your panties in a twist, Dean?” John asks as the boy shoves food around his plate angrily.

Dean shoots his father a horrid glare.

“His girl-”

“Shut it, Cas,” Dean growls, going back to his food. “He doesn’t give a fuck. He just wanted to piss me off.”

“No, now I wanna hear,” John argues. “What happened?”

Cas and Dean are both silent, so it’s Shawn who says, “I don’t know all of it, but Dean’s girlfriend got pregnant with someone else and had the kid. They’re still dating. I think Dean beat up the other guy today, too.”

“‘Splains why Dean’s got a shiner,” John says, tilting the chair back and sipping from his beer. “Hope he’s worse off than you,” he adds to the scowling Dean.

“Yeah, Dad, I sure hope you’re proud I pounded another kid into the ground,” Dean says. “I hope you’re happy he’s from juvie and I beat him up real good. Your kid can’t be a pussy now, can he?” Son glares at father as John’s chair legs touch the ground and he stares at Dean.

“Dean,” Cas says softly. “He’s not worth it. Go take a run, burn off some steam.”

“Gladly,” Dean says, leaving, food mostly untouched.

“Nice job, Shawn,” Sam says, glaring at the teen.

“It’s not my -”

“Yeah, it is,” Sam says, drooping in his seat.

//

Later, Dean curls into Cas more deeply than he’s done in a long time. Cas can feel him shift pretty often, but he lays as still as possible, hoping this will help Dean sleep.

It does not.

Cas sits up and turns the light on. Dean gives him a reproachful look. “Don’t give me that look,” Cas says. “You’re keeping me up.”

“Sorry.”

Cas nuzzles into Dean’s temple. “Would you like some Grace to calm your soul?” he asks, hand up with the blue lightning-like Grace crackling in it.

Dean chews on his lip but ultimately nods. “Sorry, Cas,” he whispers.

“It’s alright,” Cas says, giving him just enough Grace to help him sleep. “Good night, Dean.”

//

Lisa doesn’t bring the baby to school, but still a few people give her looks, and there are mutters. Dean, Cas, Georgie, and Shawn are by her side as much as possible. Jack Miller once spits in her direction, and Dean lunges towards him.

Jack Miller flinches back, but still it takes Georgie _and_ Shawn to hold Dean back.

“Stay away if you know what’s good for you,” Dean mutters.

“Dean, no,” Cas says sternly.

Dean scoffs. “What do you mean? He fucking knock-”

“I do not care what he did,” Cas says, gripping Dean’s chin in his hand and forcing the teen to look at him. “You will not be hateful towards him. Don’t become John, Dean.”

This gets Dean’s attention, and he scowls before nodding once.

“Good,” Cas says pleasantly. He sits and returns to eating the sandwich from his bag. “I have a long practice, so Shawn’ll have to drive you two home,” he says.

“Sure,” Shawn says. “What are you guys doing today?” he adds.

“Coach wants me to run fifteen miles,” Cas says. “I think he wants to see how much he can run me fairly.”

“Ouch, Cas, that blows,” Shawn says. “You gonna be okay?”

Cas raises an eyebrow. “Of course.”

“You might want to look, um, tired at the end of it,” Georgie says. “Most people can’t run fifteen miles without having trained at all.”

Cas nods once and places his hand on Dean’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Fine.” Dean looks up and plasters a smile on his face. “Good luck in your run, Cas.”

Cas rubs his hand back and forth a few times before leaving Dean to his devices. He looks to Georgie. “How are your classes going? Have you had any difficulties?”

Georgie shrugs. “I mean, nothing crazy, but I’m not doing amazing.”

“Do you require assistance?” Cas asks, cocking his head.

Georgie gives him a placating smile. “Cas, I’m fine, okay?”

Cas nods and stands. “I have to get to class.”

//

Dean tugs his jacket tighter around himself and herds Sam and Adam towards the truck. “C’mon, kiddos, we gotta get to school.”

“Dean, how come it’s so cold?” Adam peers up at his brother. “It’s only October.”

“I don’t know. Cas is checking it out. Get in the backseat and buckle up, Adam.” Dean opens the door and helps the toddler into the car.

“We faced a yeti once,” Shawn muses as he pulls back in the driveway. “Nasty to kill. Easier to drive off. Most likely it just got lost trying to head back to Canada.”

Dean hums and buckles his seatbelt. “Cas will know what to do.”

“What would you do it he wasn’t here?”

Dean looks out the window at the snow. The leaves hadn’t even finished falling. “Dad would check us out of school and we would research until we found what’d kill it, and then Dad ‘nd I’d take it on.”

Shawn doesn’t take his eyes off the ice-covered road. “You take the angel for granted, Dean Winchester.”

“Cas is mine,” Dean says, frowning. “And he’s an angel.”

“Even angels aren’t immune to death,” Shawn says. “You just need the right kind o’ knife.”

“Don’t tell Dad,” Sam says.

Shawn scowls again.

Dean frowns. “If you tell Dad, he’ll kill Cas, and we need him. I need him.”

Shawn looks at Dean with an appraising look, but he doesn’t say anything more.

//

“Have you figured it out?” Dean asks the moment Cas sits at lunch.

Cas hums. “Shawn was right. It is a yeti.”

“Well, what do we need to do?”

“That’s up to you,” Cas says, crossing his arms. 

Dean huffs. “Helpful.”

“I am here to protect you,” Cas says, amused, “not to do your job for you, Dean.”

Dean shrugs and takes another bite of the sandwich Cas packed. “Lunch tomorrow,” is all he says as he stands.

“Where’s Lisa?” Georgie asks, shifting slightly closer to Cas. “And where were you?”

“Lisa is home with the baby today,” Cas says. “And I was looking into why it is so cold.”

Georgie hums. “I should go eat with some of the seniors,” he says regretfully. “Apparently it’s weird that I eat with so many freshman.” He glances at Shawn. “And a junior.” He squeezes Cas’s knee and leaves, taking his tray over to a group of his football friends and grinning at them, man-hugging one and clapping another on the shoulder with an easy grin on his face.

“What’s up with Dean?” says Mark, who drops into the seat next to Cas with half a sandwich in his mouth.

“Lisa,” Cas says.

Mark nods slowly. “Yeah, that’s gotta be rough.”

Cas scratches his elbow. “He’s been upset.”

Mark leans closer. “My parents are friends with hers, and they said they’re planning on moving. They think this place is bad for her.”

“Where?”

“Indiana.” Mark takes a sip of orange juice. “Has she told Dean yet?”

“Shit,” Cas mutters. “This is going to be bad.” He rubs a hand over his face. “Thanks for telling me.”

“Of course,” Mark says. “See ya, Cas.”

//

“Hey, Cas, what are you doing? We have practice!” Dean says as Cas pulls him away.

“We have something we need to do,” Cas says, flying them near Lisa’s house. 

“What are you talking about?”

Cas gives him a look that he can’t decipher and knocks on Lisa’s family’s door. Her mother opens the door, circles under her eyes a deep purple. “Dean,” she says. “Cas.”

“Cas, what’s going on?” Dean says.

“Why didn’t she tell him?” Cas asks.

“I don’t know,” Mrs. Braeden says. “Come on, boys. Lisa’s with the baby.” She lets them in, leading them through boxes and boxes of the family’s things.

The look on Dean’s face says he’s realized what’s going on.

“Dean!” Lisa says when she sees him. “I -”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Dean says, in the rough tone he has whenever he has any emotion.

“I suggested it,” Mr. Braeden says from the corner. “I thought it would be easier for her. How did you find out?”

“School,” Cas says. “And it wouldn’t have been right not to let them say goodbye.”

“She’s my kid.”

“I know,” Cas says, “but look at them, sir.” 

Lisa has her face buried in Dean’s neck as he holds the baby, unreadable expression on his face.

“I know,” Mr. Braeden says. “I’m doing my best.”

Cas looks at Dean. “You’re doing as well as you could.”

“I wish it were Dean’s,” Mr. Braeden says. “But it’s that Miller boy.”

“Dad,” Lisa says.

“Sorry,” he says. “Sweetie, we have to get back to packing. Say one last goodbye to Dean and Cas and then show them out.” He kisses her forehead. “I love you.”

Lisa looks on Dean with tears in her eyes and Cas takes the baby as they embrace, laying layer after layer of protective sigiling and magic into him.

“I put protections on him,” Cas says, hugging Lisa with one arm. “He’ll be as safe as I can make him.”

She smiles at hi and kisses his cheek. “Thank you, Cas, for everything. Keep Dean safe, okay?”

“Always. Best of luck, wonder woman,” he says, handing Ben back to her.

Dean doesn’t say anything when they get home, simply laying on the bed and going to sleep.

Cas lets him.

//

Everyone falls silent when Dean and Cas come into the GSA meeting. Even Ms. Bailey gives Dean a near-sympathetic look before turning the lock in the door and pulling a chair in front of her desk to face the students in a semicircle on top of the desks.

“Stop looking at me that way,” Dean says, scowling. 

No one stops looking at him that way.

“Are you going to start dating Cas now?” Mel asks, popping a milk dud into her mouth.

Dean rolls his eyes. “No. Even if Cas and I wanted to date, which we don’t, Cas is in a committed relationship.”

This is punctuated by Georgie pulling Cas into a kiss, which Cas reciprocates before hitting him lightly on the chest and pulling away.

Mel shrugs. “You could totally just have a three-wa-”

“No,” Georgie says. “Anyway, Ms. Bailey, don’t you have something to discuss? Or something?”

“Yeah, kind of,” she says, pulling out a brown paper bag and setting it on the ground in front of her.

“Lunch?” Sophia says, raising an eyebrow.

“No, protection,” Ms. Bailey says. “There’s condoms, dental dams, gloves, and lube in there. Split it amongst yourselves however you’d like.”

Cas is the first one to hop off a desk, grabbing a handful of condoms, a few lube packets, and a couple gloves. Shawn is next, equally confident, and then the other students come and take some supplies, some of them blushing at an unconcerned Ms. Bailey.

“Good,” Ms. Bailey says when everyone’s done. “Safe sex is good sex.” She rubs her hands together. “Does anyone want to talk about anything?” Her gaze slides over to Dean.

“The kid wasn’t even mine!” Dean says, throwing his hands up. “And yeah, she left, but it’s fine. I understand. She had to go.”

No one says anything, but Cas usually doesn’t.

“I’m fine,” Dean says evenly. “It was worse when she was here, when everyone knew that Jack Miller’d knocked my girlfriend up.”

There’s silence for a bit and then Maria says, “I told my sister that I like girls.”

“How’d it go?” Shawn asks, leaning back onto his palms.

“Not…badly. She hugged me. And she promised not to tell our parents. She’s back at college now, anyway.” Maria looks down at her palms. “I’m just…if Mami and Papi find out…” She looks at Shawn and then looks away quickly. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” he says. “I probably made a mistake, but I’ll be able to go back to my family eventually. They need me.”

“Cas told me he wants to come out to the school,” Sophia blurts out.

“That’s a bad idea,” Mel says immediately. “C’mon, dude, you _have_ to have heard the stories -”

“Cas,” Ms. Bailey says. “If you come out, you -”

“You can’t,” Georgie says firmly. “Cas, if you come out, I can’t - I can’t risk being seen around you. You might lose your place on the teams. It will fuck Dean over.”

“But if no one does anything about the system of oppression, it will continue,” Cas cries, spreading his hands. “It means the kid brave enough to do what you’re telling me not to might face the consequences I _might_ face. I don’t see how it’s right to make someone else take the consequences I can deal with.”

“Cas,” Dean says, brow furrowing. “Cas, hockey. Samwell. You can’t…I need you to be with me.”

Cas runs a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I know.”

“But,” Dean continues, looking down at the desk, “if you really want to, I’ll support you.”

“I won’t,” Georgie says. “Cas, you can’t do this. There’s too much at stake. Wait until you have a ticket out of here.”

Cas’s shoulders slump. “I won’t do it,” he says, but it kind of kills him.

“I hate to say it, Cas, but it’s likely best,” Ms. Bailey says. “You have a bright future. Don’t ruin it.”

//

“Is the yeti dealt with?” Shawn asks as Cas and Dean trudge in.

“Yeah,” Dean says. He shakes some snow out of his hair. “Sent him on his way. Dad home yet?”

“No,” Shawn answers, offering cups of tea.

Dean nods and takes his cup to his room, done with conversation for now.

Shawn leans against the counter. “Georgie stopped by. I said you were dealing with a creature. He went home.”

Cas nods and runs a hand through his hair. “Where’s everyone else?”

“Sam needed something for school and Karen took him and Adam to the store. I think Bobby’s working on a car.” Shawn looks at the room Dean just went into. “Maybe Dean wants to go help him?”

“I’ll see,” Cas says dubiously. “And when does Mikey get here?”

“Tomorrow night,” Shawn says, grin small but substantial.

Cas nods. “I think tomorrow’s a good night for everyone to go out for pizza and a movie.”

“You’re the best,” Shawn says.

Cas smiles and turns towards his room.

//

Cas and Dean stand across from each other on the narrow beam, smiling down at John, who looks for them. This is another exercise, because John thinks his kids should be able to hide well.

 _How are you, Dean?_ Cas asks, holding Dean’s arm so they can communicate silently.

 _Better now that Lisa’s gone,_ Dean admits, shrugging. _I wasn’t lying about that._

Cas nods and zips Dean’s coat a little more. _I can’t believe it’s already almost the end of fall term._

 _I know, I can’t believe you have interschols soon,_ Dean answers, glancing at his father. _How’s Georgie doing? Going to pass?_

 _Yes._ Cas throws a little pebble to lead John in the wrong direction. _I’m glad you’re doing better._

Dean gives him a half smile and, instead of replying, only sends a surge of affection to Cas.

Cas wants to hug him, but instead opts for another surge of affection right back at him.


	16. Chapter 16

“Dad, it’s so early,” Dean says, yawning widely. “And I have tryouts today.”

“Well, you can’t try out for things if you’re dead,” John points out, pushing knives into Dean, Shawn, and Sam’s hands. He tosses one to Cas.

Sam yawns, too, but he doesn’t argue with his father.

“Cas,” Dean whines.

“Your father is not wrong,” Cas says. “It is much harder to try out for hockey when you are dead.”

Dean groans at him. “Alright, whatever. What are we doing, Dad, sparring?”

“Yep,” John says. “Spar with Shawn and then Cas and then Sam. Cas will start with Sam and then spar Shawn.”

Sam yawns as he lazily comes at Cas. John comes over and delivers a smarting rap to Sam’s shoulder with a small pole. “Ow!” Sam exclaims, glaring at John.

“Wake up, boy,” John says, crossing his arms.

Sam glares at his father and starts on Cas, who easily avoids all of his jabs with the dagger. As he grows more frustrated, they go more wild. Cas catches his arms and holds them, though the tween struggles.

“Calm down, Sam. You will get nowhere with frustration,” the angel says, holding him until Sam relaxes enough. “Now try again. Remember that I am an angel. No one you know can beat me with a mortal blade.”

Sam nods and begins to go at Cas again, strikes much more calculated and intentional now.

“Good,” Cas says. “Adjust your stance. I could knock you over easily at the moment.”

Sam does so.

//

“Dean, kid, why are you slow today? Pick it the hell up!” Coach yells.

Dean begins to skate faster, catching up to Cas with a groan. “Goddamn it, Cas,” he says, skidding to a stop with the other boys. “Ugghhhh…”

“Again!” Coach shouts, blowing his whistle.

The boys start up on another set of suicides. Dean drags behind again, but he is not furthest back in the pack, not even of the returners. He is still slower than usual, though, and even coach notices.

“What’s up, Dean?” Georgie says, a little breathless. “You’re never this slow.” His curls are pressed to the back of his neck with sweat.

“Dad woke us up at four thirty this morning to practice with knives,” Dean says. “I’m _tired_.”

Cas slips a hand between Dean’s glove and jersey and gives him a little extra Grace.

“Cas,” Dean hisses, jolting up.

“What? You were tired,” Cas says, shuffling around a bit on the ice.

“Again!” The whistle blows again.

They start up again, and Dean this time is much faster; Coach skates over to the two.

“I want you skating as hard as you can during practice, Winchester,” Coach says.

“Yes, Coach,” Dean says. “I just got a new burst of energy.”

“Then use it,” Coach Quint says. “Again!”

//

The coaches call everyone together at the end of tryouts. “Go get changed, boys. Roster’ll be on the door.”

“Yes, coach,” the boys chorus and then race off the ice.

Cas, Dean, and Georgie all begin to strip. Dean and Cas moved to be next to the older boy this year.

“You skated okay today, Dean, but Coach probably noticed you weren’t going as hard as usual,” Georgie comments, trying to be subtle as he watches Cas take his shoulder pads off.

Cas flicks him.

“I was _tired_ ,” Dean complains. “You coming over to study, Georgie?”

Georgie purses his lips. “I don’t know if I can.”

“Your dad?” Cas asks softly, tugging his sleeves off.

Georgie nods. Then he pulls sweatpants on and says quietly to Cas, “Meet you outside?”

Cas nods. Then he finishes dressing and turns to Dean. “Are you almost done?” Shawn is already lingering by Cas’s elbow.

“Yeah,” Dean says, tugging his shirt on. “Ready to check the roster?”

“You made it,” Cas says. “So did Georgie and I.” He slings his schoolbag over his shoulder.

Dean tugs his jacket on. “Spoiler,” he grumbles.

“Sorry,” Cas says, not sounding sorry at all.

Dean slugs him lightly on the shoulder. “You going to go make out with lover boy behind the gym?” he murmurs. Shawn chokes next to them.

“Naturally,” Cas says, grinning at Dean. They glance at the door as they leave.

“Winchester,” their coach says. “Novak.”

The boys turn around, each holding a strap of their backpacks. “Yes, coach?” they chorus.

“I’ve been thinking about trying you two on a defense line,” he says. “Only sometimes, of course; I don’t know that I could deal with you two never being on first with Georgie.” He chuckles. “What do you think?”

“Sounds good to me, coach,” Cas says, glancing at Dean. “We were hoping to be on a d-line in college.”

“You could definitely do that if you continue on your path,” the coach says thoughtfully. “And Dean, are you feeling okay?”

“Just a bit tired, Coach,” Dean says, giving him a smile. “My father had Cas and me up early this morning.”

“Cas didn’t seem tired.”

“I went to bed earlier than he did,” Cas says.

The coach grunts. “Sleep up tonight, then, boys. Practice tomorrow. I want you skating for real, Dean.”

“Yes, Coach,” Dean says.

Quint nods to them and turns around, walking into his office. Dean, Shawn, and Cas also turn around and split up outside of the gym. Cas goes around to the small (and abandoned) equipment shed where he and Georgie sometime meet.

As soon as he steps in, Georgie pushes him against the metal door. “Hey,” he murmurs, kissing Cas’s neck. “You taste like sweat.”

“I just played in practice,” Cas says, hands slipping into Georgie’s shirt and grasping his hips. “You’re sweaty too, mister.”

Georgie hums against his neck. “Mister. I like that.”

“I have a good grasp of human vocabulary,” Cas says, affronted. “Now shut up and kiss me.”

Georgie grins and does so. They only kiss for a few minutes before Dean pounds on the door. “Cassie?”

Cas groans and shoves Georgie away. “Damnit, Dean.”

Georgie leans back in, bracketing Cas’s head. “Another minute.”

“Stop making out!”

Georgie seals his lips to Cas’s, and the angel squeezes his hips once before slipping out from between Georgie and the door and then opening it.

“Loverboy,” Dean mutters, slugging Cas on the shoulder lightly. “See ya later, Georgie.”

Cas grabs Dean and Shawn’s shoulders and takes them back to Bobby’s. “Asshole, breaking up my makeouts,” Cas grumbles, slugging Dean back.

Shawn grins at Cas. “Makeouts with boys are nice, eh?” He nudges Dean. You ought to give it a try.”

Dean scowls at him. “Shove it, Shawn.” Then he brushes by the other two and slams the door to the house.

Cas and Shawn meet each other’s eyes and frown.

“Best to leave him alone,” Cas says gravely. “I’m sure he’ll be fine by dinner.”

//

“Another dawn practice?” Dean says, yawning, as John hands him a wooden stick to hit Cas with. “Dad—”

“I’ll be gone this weekend, and I want you to practice,” John says. “You’ll do as I say.”

Sam is too tired to rise to John’s unintentional bait. “Dad, I’m tired,” he says, also yawning. 

“My teacher yelled at me yesterday for falling asleep. Don’t you think—” he yawns again “—we could do this…after school?”

“Start hitting,” John says, glaring at his sons.

Cas blocks all of Dean’s hits easily. “John, this is useless,” he says as Dean tries to hit him. 

“They’re too tired to even hit properly. And I’m pretty sure Sam is half-asleep while he’s falling.”

John clenches his jaw. “They got to practice.”

“I’ll run two practices this weekend,” Cas says. “Let them sleep.”

John scowls. “Whatever, angel fag.”

Cas sighs at the boys’ father’s immaturity and herds his assignments inside and into bed. 

He wakes Dean as late as possible and brings the three to school much more well-rested than the day previous.

“Morning, Cas,” Georgie says brightly as Cas and Dean drops into chairs near him in math. 

“More practice with John this morning?” he asks, noting the circles under Dean’s eyes.

“Yeah, but they got to take a nap, too.” Cas pokes Dean.

“Cas convinced my dad to end it early,” Dean says, yawning.

Georgie claps Dean on the shoulder and turns forward just as Ms. Bailey starts class.

//

“Good, Dean,” Quint says, watching as he and Cas pass while skating backwards. “Good, boys.”

They reach the goal line, and Cas smashes into Dean with a grin. “Gotcha,” he whispers, offering Dean a hand up.

“Quit fooling around, Winchester and Novak,” Coach says, but half-heartedly. “Alright, a couple more dee drills and then I want you to go work with Georgie.”

“Yes, Coach,” they chorus. They run the backwards drill again, Cas intentionally making it hard for Dean with crazy passes and a smirk.

“Asshole,” Dean mutters when they meet at the goal line again.

“That’s me,” Cas says, spitting his mouthguard around to grin at Dean.

“How do you feel about this whole ‘d-line’ thing?” Dean asks as they get back in line to do the drill again.

“I will do whatever you want,” Cas says gravely. “I am here for you and Sam, Dean.”

“But you’re not really Sam’s,” Dean points out.

Cas gives him a crooked smile. “No, I suppose I’m not.” He sighs. “Dean, things are different with you and me.”

“How?”

“Winchester, Novak, get ready to go,” Coach yells, glaring at them.

Dean gives Cas a flat look, and they ready to skate out.

“After this, join the forwards,” Quint says as he tosses the puck to Cas.

This time, Dean gives as good as he takes; for every difficult pass Cas tosses him, he tosses one right back. Then the two join Georgie, who’s been warming up wrist shots with the other forwards.

“Hey, boys,” he says, a friendly grin settling onto his face as he punches Dean in the shoulder lightly and knocks Cas’s helmet. “How were dee drills?”

“Good ‘nuff,” Dean says. “You warmed up?”

“Yeah,” Georgie says. “Coach says we’re doing checking practice today. ‘Parently he thinks we forgot how to check.”

Dean grins at Georgie. “That’s wonderful.”

“Dean,” Cas says in his warning tone.

Dean scowls but doesn’t turn to face the angel. “Okay, okay.”

“Same goes for you, Georgie,” Cas adds.

Dean sticks his tongue out at the blond, who gives him a condescending book. “I would _never_ ,” he says to Cas.

“Of course,” Cas says drily.

The coach blows the whistle and gathers the forwards. “Checking practice. Here’s how it’ll go: we’ll have a line of four people who’ll be checking one skater carrying a puck up the boards into the boards. The checkers’ll be evenly spaced. We’ll have…Novak, Bauman, Johnson, and Chang checking. The rest of you, grab pucks and line up.” He blows the whistle and begins to direct Cas and the others where to stand.

“Coach, do you want shoulder or hip checks?” Georgie asks.

“Can you even do a hip check?”

Georgie nods. “If Cas obliges, I can show you.”

The coach hesitates but then nods, frowning. “Go, Novak.”

Georgie holds his gaze for a second. “Just skate at me, Cas. I can do the rest.”

Cas gives him a nod and starts at the senior, who shifts his weight at the last moment to send his hip into Cas’s, which sends the younger boy flying.

Cas crashes back into the ice after just a few glorious seconds of flight. He just stares up at the white lights of the rink.

Georgie skates over and offers him a hand, grinning down. “Hurts, doesn’t it?”

“It smarts a bit,” Cas admits, taking the hand and standing.

“That was great, Georgie,” the coach says, crossing his arms and leaning on his stick. 

“However, I’m not sure we want to send our skaters flying like that in this drill.” The boys chuckle. “Just shoulder checks, I think.” He nods to Cas. “Back into position, Cas.”

Cas nods and skates back to his checking position. Dean is the first one in the line, and, on the coach’s whistle, he skates out to the first checker (Chang) and avoids the check. The coach blows the whistle again at Dean. “That was not the drill, Winchester! Back in line. I want you _getting checked_. That’s why I set up the checkers.”

Dean shrinks back. “Sorry, Coach. I thought—”

“No, you didn’t think. Back in line, Winchester.”

Dean goes to stand on the goal line again. The coach blows the whistle again, and Dean starts to skate again. He lets Chang hit him and continues with the puck to Georgie, whose hit knocks him down, but he gets back up and skates to Cas, glaring at the angel, who smashes him into the boards so that it hurts but he won’t fall. Johnson checks him again and he skates the puck back to the start.

“Better,” the coach says grudgingly. “Next!”

//

“Dean—”

“Not in the mood, Cas,” Dean says as he tugs his shirt over his head. He starts to leave.

Cas starts after him. “But Dean—”

Georgie’s hand settles onto Cas’s shoulder. “Leave him for a bit,” he says. “With the day he had, it would put anyone into a tough mood. Give him a few minutes to cool down.”

Cas hesitates but then relaxes. He pulls his sweatpants and then shirt on and sits back on the bench. “Did I do anything?” he asks the older boy, pulling on his boots.

Georgie’s hand settles onto his shoulder again and squeezes. “No, not really. It’s just hard for Dean to see you…well, you’re a little colder than usual today. And a little snarkier.”

“Oh, I hadn’t realized.”

“I know,” Georgie says quickly. “I think it just bothered Dean a bit.”

Cas sighs and stands, shouldering his bag. “I’ll see you later, Georgie. Do you still want me to come over?”

“Yeah, of course,” Georgie says.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea?”

“Yeah, it’ll be fine,” the senior says. “Shawn and Dean are waiting. See you tonight, man.”

//

“Where are you going?” Dean asks as Cas walks to the porch.

“To help Georgie study,” Cas says.

“Study or fuck?”

“Dean, I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings earlier today, but please don’t do this,” Cas says. “I don’t want you to be angry with me.”

Cas can see most of the fight go out of Dean. “I’m sorry I was a dick, but are you going to answer my question?”

“Mostly studying, maybe a little fooling around,” Cas says.

Dean sets his jaw. “Bring me.”

“Dean…”

“Bring me or so help me God, I will take one of Bobby’s trucks and—”

“Okay, okay!” Cas scratches his head. “Go get a coat. And your schoolbooks.” He walks into the kitchen, where Bobby and Karen are cooking dinner. “Is it okay if I take Dean to Georgie’s with me to study?”

“Yes, of course,” Karen says. “Have fun, sweetie.” She kisses his head, keeping her hand wet with carrot juice away from his hair.

“Can you activate the protection runes before you leave?” Bobby asks.

“Of course,” Cas says. “Thanks.” He meanders back out to the entryway, where Dean’s stuffing his feet into a pair of winter boots. “Ready?”

“Yeah,” Dean says, offering his hand. Cas flies them to a dark section between two houses and then they cross the street to Georgie’s white house.

“I think it’d be better if you knocked,” Cas says. “Georgie’s parents don’t much like me.”

Dean chuckles. “I imagine not.” He knocks three times and then steps back.

“Hello?” Mrs. Bauman opens the door. “Oh. Hello, boys.” She hesitates. “Georgie’s not here right now.”

“Yes, he is,” Cas says calmly. “He needs help in math. Dean and I are here to make sure he can pass our next test.”

“You shouldn’t be here,” Mr. Bauman says, glaring at Cas. “Georgie doesn’t want you here.”

“Oh my God, Dad, let them in,” Katie says, rolling her eyes and tugging the door open wider. “It’s not like they’re going to start fucking. They’re just studying, for chrissakes.”

“Katherine Bauman, that is not - your brother is not—”

“Yes he is,” Katie says. “And you two need to accept that.”

“You need to watch your language, young lady,” Mrs. Bauman says.

“Georgie’s upstairs,” Katie says. “He’s waiting for you, Cas.” She waves them in, and the two slip their boots off before following her up the stairs. She knocks lightly on the door. “Cas and Dean are here, Georgie.”

“Thanks, Katie.” Georgie opens the door and smiles, first at his sister and then at Cas and Dean.

“Mom and Dad gave them a little trouble,” Katie says. “You might…you might want to watch out.”

“Thanks,” Georgie says again, ruffling his sister’s hair. “Do you want to come do work with us?” he offers. “I mean, pre-calculus is a little different from pre-algebra, but—”

“Yeah, that’d be nice,” Katie says. “I’ll grab my books.” She grins at him. “And put a shirt on.”

He rolls his eyes. “Cas, Dean, you can lay your coats wherever. We’re gonna have to study on the floor.”

“That’s fine,” Cas says, rolling his eyes and setting his coat and bag inside the door. He pulls out the important books and plops down on Georgie’s carpet, back against his bed.

Georgie grabs his own books and settles next to him, left arm draped over Cas’s shoulders.  
Dean grins as he sits across from them. “You expected to get some, didn’t you, Georgie?”  
Cas looks expectantly at Georgie, who’s a little splotchy with a blush. “Why do you think that?”

“You cleaned and sprayed that cologne that Cas like around,” Dean says.

Cas takes a whiff and smells the cinnamon-musk scent Dean means. “He’s right,” Cas says, grinning at his boyfriend.

Georgie gives Cas a guilty grin. “A man can hope?”

Cas shakes his head and tuts. “Alright, open up your books and start to work. I can help if you need.” He opens up his book of Sanskrit poetry.

Katie soon joins, and Cas offers to help her as well, but she just sets to doing her problems from the textbook with quiet determination. Cas and Georgie have settled into a different position, with Cas’s head cushioned on Georgie’s shoulder and Cas’s right hand around Georgie’s waist.

It’s only maybe thirty minutes before Georgie’s father pops in, sees them studying, scowls at Georgie and Cas, and leaves. They leave the door open. It’s not worth Mr. Bauman’s anger if it’s closed.

“Hey, can you help me with his hyperbola equation?” Georgie asks a bit later, nudging Cas.

Cas sets the poetry aside and leans over Georgie’s notebook and textbook. “Hmm.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Well, you haven’t gotten any of the other ones right,” Cas says. “Hm. How to…” He throws up a fake floating chalkboard and draws a parabola. “Do you understand how to find the asymptotes?”

Georgie shakes his head slowly and gives Cas a guilty look.

“Georgie, we’ve been doing this for a week,” Cas says. “You have to tell me when you don’t understand something.”

Georgie looks away. “It’s embarrassing,” he says. “To tell you.”

“Cas, don’t yell at him,” Dean says. “I can explain it, Georgie, if you want.”

“Yeah,” Georgie mutters, a little splotchy again.

Dean begins to write on the chalkboard. “You have to use its eccentricity,” he says, drawing a box between the two parts of the hyperbola. “See?”

As Dean explains, Katie examines Cas. Cas notices but says nothing.

“Cas is a fairy, right?” she says once Georgie sits back.

Dean chokes and starts laughing. “Do you mean is he gay?”

“No, I mean is he an actual fairy?” she says seriously. “He appears in Georgie’s room at night sometimes when the front door hasn’t opened. He made that chalkboard appear by magic.”

Dean shoots a dirty look at Cas.

Katie continues, ignoring them or not seeing them. “He says he’s named for an angel. Angels fly, right? And he’s not at all scared of my dad. And he’s really fast.”

“Cas is an angel, not a fairy,” Georgie says, chuckling.

“Hm.” She shrugs. “That was my next guess. I just wasn’t sure that angels existed. Fairies seemed more likely.”

“How did you let her find out?” Dean says, scowling at him.

“I was going to wipe her memory about the chalkboard thing,” Cas says. “Sorry!”

“How’d you figure it out, though?” Dean asks.

“The first time I met him, he didn’t seem quite…human. I guess that’s what drew my brother to him. Anyway, I just…watched him.” She gives him an easy smile. “It doesn’t bother me. I know you’ll keep my brother safe.”

“I will,” Cas says seriously. “Anyway, speaking of which, your brother needs to study for his test.” He turns to Georgie. “Does the hyperbola stuff make sense to you?”

Georgie nods. “Yeah, more or less.”

Cas sighs and slips a hand under Georgie’s shirt to give him the understanding of the math concept. “Now?”

Georgie nods. “Do you do that for Dean?”

“Only once,” Cas says. “Now get working, Georgie.”

“Yes, sir,” Georgie says, back to his silly self.

Cas kisses him. “Yes, sir,” he echoes with a chuckle.


	17. Chapter 17

“Here, Cas, here,” Georgie calls. Cas tosses him a hard pass, one that flies through the legs of a defenseman. “Dean Dean Dean!” the senior shouts, tossing the puck to Dean, who waits by the next. Cas sprints up and catches the rebound, pretending to shoot but actually passing to Dean for a one-timer.

“Nice, nice, boys,” the next line chants as they pat their helmets and take their place on the ice.

Dean, Cas, and Georgie clamber off. “Good job,” says Georgie seriously.

Coach comes behind Dean and Cas. “Come sit with the dee,” he says. “You’re going to go in as a dee pair for a little bit.”

Dean sticks his mouth guard back in and nods and Cas says, “Yes, Coach,” and begins the awkward over-player shuffle until he’s where he and Dean’ll join the cycle.

“You ready?” Dean asks.

“Always,” Cas says, nudging Dean with his shoulder and squirting some water into his mouth.

“Good shift, good shift,” Dean mutters as the old dee get on the bench and the pair in front of them in the lineup hops on the ice (along with a line with Georgie centering the two forwards from the line below him).

“Alright, boys, play careful,” Coach says to Dean and Cas. “If you can get a breakaway, do it, but remember to play more defense than offense.”

“Yes, coach,” Dean says as he shifts his mouthguard into his mouth. Cas just nods and throws a leg over the board in preparation to get on the ice. That’s when he feels it, that icy-cold-oily feeling that means there’s a demon near him. He pauses time and flies to the demon, tapping his stick impatiently on the ground by the demon’s feet.

“Wearing a kid today, Dantalion?” Castiel takes off his glove.

“The rumors are true,” says the demon. “An angel _is_ acting as a human here.”

Cas rolls his eyes. “Give me answers or I kill you rather than just exorcise you to pits of hell, where you belong.”

“What do you want to know?” the demon asks. “And besides, this is hardly a kid. He killed his mother last year.”

Castiel cringes inwardly, but does nothing outwardly. “Why are you here?”

“To see why an angel was playing human.” Dantalion smirks. “You’re a scrawny little thing, aren’t you? Why are you playing hockey? You’re an angel.”

“Are they really that interested in me, or is there some other reason you’re here?”

“An angel acting as a human is always interesting to us,” the demon says, smile deadly.

Cas lifts a shoulder. “Maybe I’m on vacation.”

“And acting as a human? The worthless beasts have no interest to you.” The demon taps his chin. “And besides, angels vacation in Heaven.” Dantalion smirks.

Cas grabs onto his chin. He makes the demon report that the angel in Sioux Falls is leaving soon to return to Heaven, wipes most of the conversations, and exorcises the demon. Then he patches the boy’s soul - he’d normally not do that, but the boy deserves a second chance, especially after being a demon’s meatsuit. Then he flies back to the bench and resumes time.

//

“Are you alright?” Dean asks as they undress.

“Yeah, why?” Cas pauses in pulling his jock off. “Do I have an injury I didn’t notice or something?”

Dean shakes his head. “No, no. I just…you just…”

“What Dean means to say is that you were distracted,” Shawn says, hanging his shorts.

“Was I?”

“Yeah, especially after the second period,” Dean says.

Cas purses his lips. “I’m fine,” he says firmly.

Dean watches Cas suspiciously. “If you say so.”

Cas scowls at him. “Who are you to—”

“He’s not,” Georgie says. “We were just worried about you, that’s all.”

Dean leans close as he walks by. “You’ll tell me what happened later,” he orders.

Cas says nothing, only laces up his boots. “Hurry up,” he says to Shawn. To Georgie, he simply gives a half-hearted glare and a little wave. “See you tomorrow, Georgie.”

//

“Dude, what’s up with you?” Dean asks, pulling his socks off as he sits on the end of their bed.

“Nothing,” Cas says, rubbing his eyes.

“Liar,” Dean says, all mocking superiority.

Cas sighs and turns his head from the young hunter. “I exorcised a demon that had come here wondering why an angel was living with humans. I made him report that nothing was going on here, but I’m a little worried.”

Dean puts a hand on the angel’s shoulder. “Everything’ll be okay,” he says. “You don’t need to worry, Cas.”

Cas gives Dean a half-hearted smile. “Dean, thank you for your reassurance, but I can never not be worried about you and Sam."

"Why?"

"You're my charges," Cas tries to say with a straight face.

"Bullshit," Dean says with a little smile. "You just don't want to admit that your little angel butt loves my brother and me even if you're not supposed to."

Cas smiles a little. "I suppose you could interpret it that way," he says, smile spreading on his face.

Dean rubs a noogie into his head. "Toldja. On a slightly different note, what's up with Georgie?"

"What do you mean?" Cas asks, tilting his head the way he does in his "I don't understand" look.

"Like...you're so hot and cold with him," Dean says. "One second you're making out with him in the electrical shed or whatever, the next you're glaring at him and being...well...kind of mean."

Cas stares at Dean. "I am?"

"I bet he knows you don't know, too," Dean says. "That's why he hasn't brought it up or been angry. But...Cas, man...you're being kind of a prick to him, just saying."

Cas nearly pouts at Dean. "I didn't mean to," he says. "It was an accident. Or, I don't know, I just...I didn't mean to be mean to him. I like him. I just..."

"He's not your one," Dean says.

"No," Cas admits. "But I still really like him."

"It's okay, Cas," Dean says. "I bet you it won't last past baseball season, anyway."

"Why not?" Cas asks.

"Because he's going off to college, and I think he's always known in his heart of hearts that you were never going to fall for him," Dean says. "He knows you love someone else. I bet he even knows who."

Cas gives Dean a guilty look. "I told him right off the bat," he says. "That I...that it wasn't him. But he still wanted to try it."

"Who is it?" Dean asks. "Who do you love?"

"No one," Cas says.

"C'mon, Cas, I'm not dumb. We were just talking about it," Dean says, rolling his eyes.

"I said no one," Cas says, eyes flashing.

"Why won't you tell me?" Dean asks.

"Because it's my business," Cas says, glaring at Dean. "And I'm not going to tell you, so stop fucking pushing it."

Dean purses his lips and does the signature head turn and jaw thing that means he's kind of pissed. "Alright, Cas, whatever. I'm just saying that if you want to make this thing with Georgie last the rest of the year, you've got to change your attitude and stuff."

Cas rolls his eyes but nods. "I...know. Thanks, Dean, I guess." He playfully punches Dean's shoulder and just like that, all the tension and everything dissolves, and Dean just grins at Cas before tackling him to the ground. They start wrestling, all laughs and long breaths, until Karen pops her head in. "Alright, boys, no more wrestlin'," she says. "Sam and Adam are asleep, and I don't want you to wake them."

"Alright, Karen, sorry," Dean says.

"We'll stop," Cas adds.

Karen smiles at them. “Goodnight, boys.”

“Goodnight,” they say. Then Dean stands and gets back into the bed, un-twisting his boxers from how they’d twisted to the right when the hunter and the angel were wrestling.

“Anyway, Cas, give it a try, okay, man?” Dean says. “Georgie’ll be happier, dude. He probably thinks he’s doing something wrong.”

Cas frowns. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize to me, dude, apologize to Georgie!” Dean says. “Now let’s get to sleep. We have practice tomorrow.”

Cas climbs in bed beside Dean and snuggles up with the hunter. “Thanks, Dean,” he says. “G’night.”

//

“Here here here here,” Georgie yells, tapping the ice with his stick.

Cas ignores him and tosses the puck to Dean, but only because Dean only had one player on him and Georgie had two. Dean takes it up the boards and around his defender and shoots. The puck bounces off Mark's pads, but Coach Quint nods at them and pats Dean's helmet as the skate to the bench to wait for their next turn.

"Dude, you could have passed to me," georgie says to Cas.

"Dean had less men on him," Cas says.

"You never pass to me," Georgie says.

"Yes, I do." Cas looks away. "I made the right choice, Georgie."

"Georgie, Cas, calm down," Dean says. "This is just practice. Cas—"

"He does it in games, too," Georgie says.

"Georgie, that's not fair." Cas pushes up against Georgie with his stick. "And if you don't like the way I run on our line, maybe you should switch lines, because Dean doesn't seem to be having any problems."

"It always circles back to Dean, doesn't it?" Georgie says. "Everything. 'No, Georgie, I can't hang out today. Dean needs me to clean up his messes on a hunting trip.' 'Sorry, Georgie, I'm going to have to cancel the plans we've had for weeks. Dean needs me to wipe his ass.' I bet soon it's going to be 'Hey, Georgie, we can't be friends anymore because Dean needs me all to himself.' You don’t have any fucking feelings. You don’t care about anyone but yourself and Dean. You’re so _weird_ , Cas, it’s like you’re not even human. I bet your family sent you to be with Dean ‘cause they don’t even _want_ you. Didn’t you _say_ Gabriel’s the only one who talks to you?"

Cas stares at Georgie. Doesn't say anything. Just stares.

"That's so fucking out of line, man," Dean says, tossing his gloves and his stick on the ground. "How could you say that shit to his face? Do you not fucking remember that talk we had?"

Georgie tosses his gloves and his stick away, too. "What are you going to do about it, Winchester?"

Dean shakes his head. "We both know I could beat you with a single hit." He laughs. "What are you trying to do with this?"

Georgie doesn't answer, just lunges at Dean, who ducks and drive a fist into Georgie's stomach.

"Dude," Dean says, "I don't wanna hurt you."

Georgie lunges at Dean again, and Dean knocks him to the side with a punch to the side of the helmet. It can't have felt good on Dean's knuckles, but, if it hurt, the Winchester shows no sign of it. Georgie lands on his knees and stands back up, this time launching himself at Dean. Dean redirects him in midair so he lands as softly as one can on the ice, holding him from sliding by his jersey.

Cas vaguely wonders why the coaches haven’t stepped in and then remembers he should probably have stepped in before it became a physical fight. Pitting Georgie against Dean is like pitting Sam against Dean.

Georgie stands.

“Are you done yet, George?” Dean asks, still not having taken a single punch.

The senior wipes at a scrape on his jaw. “Not yet, Winchester.” He punches at Dean, but Dean hits him once in the mouth and lets him down to the ice easy.

“I don’t like picking on easy opponents,” Dean says. “We’re done.” He skates towards Cas and stands between the angel and Georgie.

Georgie tries to stand, but Shawn skates over and kneels beside him, pinning his shoulders down and whispering to the senior until his head falls back and the fight goes out of his body.

Coach Quint skates over. Cas has never seen a look this angry on his face before. “You three are done,” he says. “No practice tomorrow. No practice or games at _all_ until you’ve worked your shit out. And you’ll come and explain what the fuck this was about after you get changed and get him to the trainers to get checked out.”

Dean swallows, Adam’s apple bobbing. “Yes, sir,” he says.

“Sorry, sir,” Cas says, handing Dean one of his gloves.

“Don’t ‘sorry, sir,’ me,” Quint orders. “Get off the ice.”

Dean and Cas each take one of Georgie’s arms and put it around them. No one says anything, and it’s the most awkward walk (drag?) to the locker room that Dean or Cas has ever had.

They drop Georgie on the bench at his locker and begin to undress in silence.

“What are we going to tell him?” Dean asks, breaking the silence finally.

Cas tugs his tee shirt on. It’s one of Dean’s ACDC shirts, one that was once black and is now grey. “Well, we can’t exactly tell him there are monsters around every corner,” he says bitingly.

“No, we can’t do that, can we?” Georgie echoes, glaring at the sophomores tugging pants on. “We can’t ever tell anyone the truth.”

“Dude, where’s this ‘we’ you’re thinking of?” Dean asks. “Last time I checked, it was Cas and me killing the things that lurk under your bed.”

Georgie lunges for Dean and Cas steps to intercept him, putting his arms around Georgie’s bare torso and hugging him until the teen stops fighting him.

“Don’t start fighting again,” Cas says. “We’re done with that. Get your shit on.” He closes his eyes. “And we are going to tell him the truth.”

“Cas, you’re kidding, ri—”

“The truth about what?” Georgie interrupts, frowning.

“You’ll see.” Cas examines Georgie. “You’re fine, nothing’s wrong, but you should probably go to the trainers, if only to tell Coach that you did. Do you want help getting there?”

“No, I’m fine,” Georgie says grumpily. He ties his shoes and limps off.

“Cas,” Dean says slowly, “what, exactly, are you going to tell Coach?”

Cas smiles at Dean. “Don’t worry about it.” He cocks his head at Dean. “Are your knuckles okay?”

Dean offers his hand. “They smart a bit,” he admits.

Cas ghosts his hand over them. “Better?”

“Yeah,” Dean says. “Thanks.”

Cas gathers Georgie’s stuff and his own. “Should we head to Coach’s office?” he asks.

“Yeah, probably,” Dean says. “I’m not very excited for this meeting.”

Cas snorts. “You’re not? Georgie’s not.”

Dean rolls his eyes and holds the door for the angel. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Coach suspends us for a few weeks,” he says. “You’re really not supposed to fight, ‘specially not in practice.”

Cas sighs and tugs Georgie’s backpack higher up on his shoulder. “Yeah,” he says. “I’m sorry, Dean.”

“Dude, you literally have nothing to apologize for,” Dean says. “He was outta line.”

“Yeah, but I started the fight,” Cas says in a small voice. “And right after you told me I should lay off, too.”

“No, he started the fight. You only escalated it, and I made it physical.” Dean sighs and tilts his head back onto his hands. “You know, Cas, before I knew you, I was in some fights at school. This isn’t my first rodeo dealing with an authority figure after a fight.”

Cas sighs. “Still, I’m sorry.”

The door opens again, and Georgie slips in. The only seat left that’s not Coach’s is next to Cas. He sighs and drops into it.

“Cas, what are you gonna tell Coach?” he asks, low and serious, eyes focused on Cas’.

“Wait and see,” Cas says, nudging his stuff over with a foot. He crosses his arms and stares straight ahead, ignoring any attempt either boy tries to make to talk with him.

Not too much later, Coach comes into the room, silent still. He hangs his jacket on a hook and sits in his chair, folding his hands in front of him on the desk.

“Coach, this isn’t—” Dean starts.

“Coach, we s—” Georgie starts.

“No,” Coach says, cutting both of them off. “You two will be silent. Cas will tell me what happened.”

“Me, sir?” Cas asks. “Why?”

“Because you’ll tell me the straight truth,” Coach says. “No trying to protect anyone, Cas. And don’t say it was all your fault.”

Cas sighs, even though he holds Coach’s gaze. “Yes, sir.” He glances at Dean apologetically. “Okay, well, I guess we all had a part in it. Um…do you want to know just what happened or…why it happened? Background?”

“Tell it how you will, but get me all the information,” Coach says.

Cas squeezes his eyes shut. “Georgie and I are dating,” he says. Beside him, he hears Georgie suck a breath in.

“Coach—”

“Georgie and I are dating,” Cas repeats, louder. “And we have been for about a year, give or take a bit. But I have an obligation to Dean. It is my duty to protect him. You cannot understand that part, but my family has assigned me the honor of protecting the Winchesters. Right now, Dean is the most vulnerable, so it is him I watch over more than the rest of his family. To protect Dean sometimes means neglecting Georgie. _Often_ means neglecting Georgie,” he amends with a glance at the senior, who’s frozen with a look of sickness and fear on his face. 

Cas takes a breath and continues, “And Georgie sometimes gets…jealous of Dean. And sometimes my, um, brusque personality hurts him. I know this. I _knew_ this. I should have talked to him sooner, I guess.” Cas looks at his hands. “And today, when I passes to Dean instead of Georgie, he just…he thought I did it because I liked Dean better than him. It wasn’t because of that, Coach,” he says quickly, suddenly looking up at the grey-haired man’s carefully blank face. “Dean and I are not…we’re like brothers, sir. But anyway, Georgie got mad and…said some stuff. Then I said some stuff back, stuff I shouldn’t have, stuff I didn’t mean. And I knew I shouldn’t say it, but he made me _mad_. Georgie got madder after I said that stuff and started saying bad stuff. _Really_ bad stuff. He was…it was out of line. Dean is loyal to the point of violence if necessary, and he called Georgie out. He…he took his gloves off. I guess he started the physical fight. Georgie started going after him, but Dean’s trained in a bunch of martial arts, so he mostly tried to avoid the stuff and, you know, disable Georgie.”

“I—” Dean says, but Coach shushes him. He closes his mouth.

“Look, Coach, we all know we screwed up,” Cas says. “I shouldn’t have been mean to Georgie. He shouldn’t have said those things. Dean shouldn’t have made it physical. Georgie shouldn’t have continued to attack Dean, and Dean shouldn’t have continued to fight back.” He looks at his linemates. “We’re sorry, Coach.” Cas gulps in a breath of air after his long speech.

Coach hums and sits back in his chair, rubbing at his stubble. Georgie’s still pale in his seat, and Dean’s sitting in his defensive position.

“Well?” Dean asks.

“Hush, Dean, he’s thinking,” Cas says.

“No, it’s alright. I’ve heard what I need to. I’m going to call your parents.” Coach reaches for the phone.

“No!” The word rips itself out of Georgie’s mouth. “Coach, please don’t.”

Coach’s hand stays where it is in midair. “Why?”

“If they heard I got in a fight over Cas… Look, sir, I’m already in enough trouble with them for seeing him. In both ways. Or worse, if they knew you knew that I was…that I wasn’t straight…Coach, you can’t. My parents think you’ll kick me off the team. Please don’t kick me off the team,” he adds, eyes wide.

Coach sits back in his chair again and crosses his arms. “Son, I don’t give a fuck if my players are gay or whatever.” He sighs. “I need to call your parents, let them know you three were fighting. I won’t tell your parents it was over Cas, Georgie, but I think you should.”

Georgie’s face is one of pure relief. “Thank you, Coach,” he says.

Coach frowns at the boys. “What I said on the ice still rings true. You’ll work this out in the next two days and come talk to me again. And after you’ve worked it out, you’re still banned from the next two games.” He turns in his chair towards the phone. “Go wait outside this office. I’ll have your parents come pick you up.”

//

Bobby and John come before Georgie’s parents come. “Come on, you idjits,” Bobby says.

“Fighting in school, Dean?” John says. “I thought you were over that.”

Dean rolls his eyes. “Well, Dad—”

“Leave it till we get home,” Cas says, weary of this fight already. “I’m tired and gross and so is Dean. Yes, we were fighting in practice. Yes, it was stupid. Yes, we’re sorry.”

“He’s said it all,” Dean says.

“Go get in the truck,” Bobby says.

“We’re still in trouble,” Dean says in a low voice.

“Yeah, no shit,” Cas whispers back, even as Bobby and John prod them along.

Dean sighs. “Damn.”


End file.
